


God is a Woman

by xNekorux



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Akalynn - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drawing, Drawn Goddess, F/F, Femslash, Imagination, K/DA Character Appearance, Reality, Shoujo-ai, Yuri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 05:22:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 115,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20353066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xNekorux/pseuds/xNekorux
Summary: An old man, a simple request and a mere sketch, and suddenly, her life changed. Follow the story of Akali, a talented illustrator, who ends up dealing with a woman she created out of her very own imagination. {Akali x Evelynn} [Yuri]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story contains a bunch of profanities, sexual humor, themes and what not, so if you're bothered with that, don't force yourself to read this. ￣ˍ￣
> 
> Story rating may be considered as Rated T for Teens in the early chapters, but will soon turn to Rated MA for Mature Audiences. Warnings will NOT be given on the start of a chapter whenever there's a scene not suitable for readers below 16-18 years old (since that will somehow serve as some sort of early spoiler of the chapter). •﹏•
> 
> To the readers who will ignore the mentioned warning, read this story at your own discretion.
> 
> Every suggestion will be taken under consideration and will be given credit if your suggested idea will be used. (o^^)o
> 
> Credits of the cover belongs to the rightful owner/cosplayers: @RachAsakawa (as Evelynn) and @RizzyCos (as Akali) from Twitter
> 
> Credit of the story title: @savageking1079 from Tumblr
> 
> I merely edited the cover to incorporate the title of the story in the picture.
> 
> I DO NOT CLAIM THE GAME, LEAGUE OF LEGENDS. CREDITS BELONG TO RIOT GAMES.
> 
> In advance, I apologize if there are any typos and grammatical errors. English is not my native language, it's Tagalog, so, yeah! ﹋o﹋
> 
> I hope you readers enjoy the story! ∩__∩

**ACT 1**

Cool breeze lightly blowing in the air and smoothly brushing past the people going out and about, its natural attempts in chilling the passersby seemed to be futile. One particular person though, all huddled in a thick dark green coat and a pair of black pants that looked to be not enough for warmth, she didn't seem to be comfortable at all. The latter shuddered slightly in reaction to the weather, such serving as proof of her discomfort.

Gloved hands being stuffed into the pockets of her jacket, vibrant azure eyes momentarily darted to each and every couple or group that she passed by. It looks like she was the only one that seemed to have a problem with the mildly frigid weather.

"This sucks." Came the mutter of the blue-eyed female, shoulders slightly hunching as she attempted to bury the lower half of her face into the high collar of her coat.

_Tethi Akali_, a rather skilled drawing artist slash animator, approached the bench near the entrance of Valoran Park, using one of her hands to brush of some of the snow away before plopping down. She gave an audible sigh as she buried her hand back in its haven called her pocket, keeping her face hidden behind her jacket's collar.

It was Christmas Eve, yet Akali was spending the holiday all alone. She had left her childhood home when she was given the opportunity to receive an irresistible job offer from the famous gaming company, _Riot Games_. She knew she'd have a bit of a hard time adjusting, especially since she left and ended up living in another country after she graduated college just to take up the once-in-a-lifetime chance.

The salary she usually earned was surprisingly bigger than what most people would offer for new graduates like her, and for that, she was utterly thankful. It was enough for her to get a decent apartment, allow her to shop for clothes from time to time and it made sure her fridge was well-stocked with food. And, whenever she greatly contributed to a project the company had ongoing, the bonuses and raises enabled her to splurge on something every once and a while.

Now, she was on her way back to her apartment to probably cook one of the many instant noodles she had bought the other day and after that, she'd most likely end up burying herself in her bed for her to sleep the holiday away.

"Alone this Christmas?" Came a mildly low and admittedly warm voice.

Turning to her left, Akali found a bearded man settling on the remaining space on the wooden bench. Like most people around this time of the year, he was snugly clad in his own thick coat and even had a grey snow hat to keep the top of his head warm.

Akali couldn't help but briefly envision the old man in a Santa outfit. Based solely from his appearance, he looked awfully similar to _Father Christmas_ himself. The artist chuckled internally at the thought.

"Yeah, pretty much." Akali responded back, lightly shrugging.

"You do know it's Christmas Eve, right?" The man asked, briefly regarding Akali with a light inquisitive look.

"My family's not exactly here in the country," Akali said with a sheepish smile. "and I didn't really have the chance to get a plane ticket before they were all sold out."

"Ah, that's too bad."

"Yeah..."

.....

.....

.....

The silence was honestly comfortable and not at all awkward, so Akali was a bit surprised when the old man suddenly turned to her and asked a question that literally came out of the blue.

"Do you draw, child?"

Akali blinked at the stranger, clearly caught off-guard with his inquiry. "Uhh... Yeah."

"Yes?"

"Yeah, I can draw." She nodded as she shifted on her seat, brushing some of her hair away from her face. "I'm actually an animator in Riot Games."

The company she worked for was actually well-known, so she was rather proud that she was part of the people responsible for the games and the occasional animated movies from their sister company, _Riot Studios_.

"Can an old man like me request a sketch from you?" The man queried, pulling into view what seemed to be an old-looking book. He lifted the front cover and revealed that most of the pages were already torn away, but much to her luck, there was still one remaining page left. "Well, would you look at that? One last page."

It's as if the only page left was there just for her.

Despite the fact that she had yet to agree, her right hand slipped out of her jacket and was already feeling over her jeans for the pen she always carried around with her.

"I guess one quick sketch won't hurt." Akali said, the small curve on her lips mainly being caused by how the man widely grinned in response. She took the book once it was offered to her, placing it over her knee, which she propped over her other leg to use as a makeshift table. "So, what do you want me to draw?"

"Something simple." The man replied. "Something _you_ like maybe?"

"Eh? Something _I_ like?"

The bearded stranger nodded. "Yes. One that you dearly love, of course."

For a brief moment, Akali came up blank when she tried thinking of whatever could fit the given bill. Her lips pursed while her eyebrows furrowed in contemplation, tapping her pen on the paper.

"Does it need to be an object or a person?"

"Either." The man simply said, before adding, "Although, a person would be more preferable."

"A person, huh? Hmm..."

And just like that, a figurative lightbulb lit up above her head. She was struck with an idea of what she wanted to draw. Or maybe, if she were to be specific, she _remembered _a set of memories concerning the character that popped into her mind at that moment.

With the tip of her tongue somewhat sticking out at the corner of her lips, Akali began to draw the anatomy of the person she had in mind. Judging by the outline of the figure she started with, it was a woman.

"This person you're drawing," The man started, momentarily peeking over her side to see her progress. "is she a loved one?"

"Not... exactly." Akali chuckled as she added the outline of the character's hair. "She's the first character I ever drew in my whole life."

"Oh, so she's not real?"

A shake of her head. "Nope."

"Yet she's special? For you, at least."

"Uh-huh." This time, she nodded. "Come to think of it, this is gonna be the first time I'm gonna draw her again. Kinda forgot about her, since I was focused on graduating a few months ago, especially with the thesis and all."

"How special is she?"

Akali pulled back, looking down on the rough sketch of the character she had in mind. Even with the artwork being incomplete, she was awfully proud of it.

She smiled as she said, "Honestly? It would probably be the best thing that has ever happened to me if she became real."

"Does she have a name?"

"_Evelynn_." Was her immediately answer. "Her name's Evelynn, and she's probably _one_ of the most beautiful women in the world, if not the most."

The man chuckled, obviously noticing how Akali absolutely adored the character she had drawn. "Sounds like you have a crush on her."

Akali's cheeks warmed up a little out of mild embarrassment. "Yeah... Don't tell anyone I have a crush on an imaginary goddess."

It did sound silly and somewhat childish in her ears, so she was hoping the old man could actually that keep that fact about herself a secret.

Again, the stranger gave an amused chuckle. "My lips are sealed."

"So," After she finally added the last touches of the unrefined facial features, she handed the book back to the old man, who accepted it and audited the drawing through the small, thin glasses he was wearing. "how does she look?"

"Beautiful." The man said with an affirmative nod, genuinely praising the artwork. "Simply beautiful."

"Heh, I know, right?"

"If it isn't too much trouble, Miss...?"

"Akali. Just Akali." She introduced, smiling.

"Zilean." The man introduced himself as well before continuing, "Akali,"

"Hmm?"

"would you give me the honor of getting to know her?"

"Eh?" The artist tilted her head in question. "What do you mean?"

"Can you tell me all about her?"

"Oh, what, like her traits?"

Zilean smiled, nodding. "Yes, exactly."

"Okay, uhh..." Akali leaned back on the bench, gently tapping her pen against her chin this time. "I already told you she's beautiful, so I guess that leaves other stuff about her.."

"Anything specific?"

The stranger, Zilean, was honestly asking for too much details for such a little sketch, but Akali didn't seem to notice. No, she was too focused on thinking up a bunch of traits and features that would perfectly fit the character her imagination had conjured up.

"She's really... affectionate."

"Affectionate?"

"Yeah," Akali perked up, making hand gestures as she began describing the imaginary woman. "she loves showing her affection to the people she likes. I kinda see her as some sort of fierce character but actually has a soft spot for someone."

"And that someone is you?" The bearded man quipped in a tease-like manner.

"W-Well," Akali blushed again. "sure, yeah, if she were real, I mean."

"Anything else?"

"Uhh..." Her cheeks became warmer behind the high collar of her coat as she thought about the mentioned female's other possible characteristics. "I guess there's more, but uhh, hehehe... I don't think I'm comfortable in telling you, _Oji-san_."

Zilean released a little laugh, shaking his head. "Alright, I won't pry, then."

"Yeah, so..." Akali spied the bus coming their way, so she chose to wrap up the little conversation she was having. It was a pleasant kind, but she also needed to get home before the weather turned colder than it already was. "That's that, I guess."

Nodding, Zilean smiled and took another second to look at the sketched image, eyes closely yet calmly surveying the drawing, before the sound of paper being torn echoed in the evening. Akali's eyes widened in surprise when the old man ripped the remaining page from the book, handing the said parchment to the artist herself.

"_Oji-san_, why'd you...-"

"Keep it, child." Zilean said, refusing to take the paper back when Akali tried handing it back to him.

"But, didn't I drew this for you?"

"Did you really?" Zilean returned with a twinkling gleam in his eyes. He gave Akali's shoulder a couple of pats before he stood up, arranging his coat as he said, "Rest assured, my dear, from now on, she'll always keep you company."

"Eh...?" Akali spared a quick glance at the sloppy yet admirable sketch. "As in, Evelynn? _She's_ gonna keep me company?"

Zilean turned back to her as he tucked the now page-less book underneath his arm, glancing down at the paper she had in hand. "You have her now with you, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but...-"

"Just make sure to take good care of her." The man said with a little wink.

"Huh?"

Akali opened her mouth to protest some more, but the man had already turned and started walking away. She thought about going after him, but the bus had already arrived. It was either miss the bus back home just to chase after some random stranger and insist that he retakes the paper he had given her, or she boards the public vehicle and just abandon the idea of returning the sketch.

The reasonable choice was quite obvious.

Sighing and quickly folding the paper, Akali stored it in one of her jacket's inside pockets before hurriedly getting inside the bus. She settled at one of the many free seats at the back, letting out another breath once she was comfortable. It was, after all, much warmer inside the transport.

Throughout the short ride back to her apartment, Akali mulled about what had happened a few minutes ago. An absolute stranger that almost looked like Santa's very own twin just came up to her and asked if she could draw him something.

When she did just that, she suddenly found herself sitting in a bus, hands still cooped up in her pockets, mind trying to make sense with what transpired and in possession of a little sketch of a long-forgotten imaginary character of hers.

What an unusual day.

Fifteen minutes later, Akali was finally in her apartment building, climbing up a few flights of stairs, since the elevator was under maintenance, and heading towards her own unit. She locked the door behind her once she was inside her home, relieving herself of her thick coat and turning on the heater of the apartment.

Before she hung the coat on the hook screwed into the wall, she made sure to take the folded paper from one of its pockets and bring it along with her as she made her way to her bedroom. She left the sketch on her little work desk at one side of the room, taking the time to change out of her clothes.

Once dressed in an old _Ionia University_ T-shirt and an old pair of green jogging shorts, Akali sat on her desk chair, turned on the lamp and began unfolding the paper Zilean had given her. She stared at the sketch on the parchment, feeling off with how lacking the sketch was for her.

Reaching to the side, she took one of the drawing pencils and started adding more of the missing details. In the midst of her work, a tiny smile could be found shaping her lips, especially when she began drawing the body details. She was grateful she's now more experienced in doing those kinds of things, or else she would have gone crazy with sketching and erasing everytime she did something that didn't meet her standards.

_'She'd have those amber gold gaze no one has.' _She thought as she refined the eyes of the character._ 'Those eyes would be one-of-a-kind.'_

Chuckling quietly, Akali started working on the main figure.

_'She's going to be so beautiful, she'll get everyone's attention.'_

Next thing she made some progress on were the hands and fingers.

_'Her hands would be super soft. Like a touch of a goddess.'_ Akali nodded to herself before half-heartedly rolling her eyes at her own thoughts. _'Of course it's like a goddess'. She's practically like one.'_

The more the sketch was worked on, the more Akali's eyes gleamed with inspiration. She felt like she was bringing the character out of the darkness and into the light with each stroke of the pencil, unveiling the beauty that had once been forgotten.

"Fierce, confident..." Akali snickered lowly as she murmured a few traits. "...a bit possessive probably..."

Akali continued listing out various traits the nonexistent character possessed, some more graphic than the first ones. She wasn't lying to Zilean when she said she couldn't just tell him the attitude, habits and personality of the woman she created. She couldn't exactly tell an innocent old man that the imaginary female she had in mind would be like Aphrodite's immensely charming twin sister.

After a whole hour, Akali's hype in improving the artwork came to an end. A yawn took over her, causing her to stretch her arms up and eventually decide that the efforts she had done onto the sketch was now satisfactory.

Deciding to ditch the idea of dinner, Akali turned her desk lamp off and made her way towards her bed. She was too sleepy to bring herself to her kitchen and whip up some of her favorite ramyuns. It didn't take long for her to bury her entire body under a layer of warm blankets.

Staring right at her ceiling, her mind filled up with random things it could conjure up at that moment. She thought about her work and how she'll be returning two days after Christmas. There was also her family, who were already sending videos and pictures just to wish her a happy holiday.

In less than a minute, Akali lost her grasp on her consciousness and fell in a state of slumber, oblivious of what awaited her in the upcoming morning.

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

_ **Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!** _

A loud groan emitted from the lone occupant of the bed, sleep disturbed and person clearly irked at the buzzing of the alarm clock on the bedside table. The red numbers were like a small beacon for attention in her room, which was dimly lit thanks to the fact that all the lights were off and that the sunlight from outside wasn't able to shine its bright rays through the closed blinds.

"For God's sake..." Akali whined groggily, trying her hardest to reach over to where the alarm could be found. She wanted to snooze the buzzing by throwing the little tech against the nearby wall, but the thought of buying another alarm was enough for her not to do such violent act.

When the alarm was finally within reach, she slapped a hand over the snooze button before slipping her arm back under the embrace of her blankets. She sighed and snuggled deeper into a bundle, intending on sleeping for maybe half an hour or more.

.....!

Or not.

Out of surprise and suspicion, Akali jumped up to a seated position, eyes darting immediately to the door. Judging solely by the muffled sounds she had heard, someone seemed to have turned the TV in the living room on. A thought instantly occurred in her head and she was quick to retrieve a kunai from the set she had bought when she got her first paycheck.

The bedside drawer was slowly shut, careful not to alert the intruder of her apartment. She cautiously inched towards the door, sneaking out of her bedroom with stealth that could rival a true ninja.

Light footsteps could be heard originating from the living room and the more Akali listened, the more she realized that the culprit had no intentions in keeping themself quiet. It's as if they're walking around in their own apartment instead of Akali's.

Jumping out of the hallway and out on the living room as soon as she heard the television be turned off, Akali expected a lot of dangerous possibilities. She predicted that the intruder would either attack her the moment she revealed herself, or maybe make a break for it and just hightail out of there as if the unit was on fire.

Much to her surprise though, none of those two happened.

Instead, Akali yelped in surprise and jumped back, hitting her back on the corner of the entryway of the hall and dropping her weapon when she found an entirely naked woman standing in the middle of her living room. Upon reflex, Akali's eyes immediately inspected the woman a few meters away from her, blue eyes uncontrollably raking over the unclad figure of the mystery female.

A lump formed in her throat, one that she had to swallow as she regarded the stranger with her gaze, and her cheeks reddened visibly in addition to her initial reaction.

The woman before her was just... _gorgeous_. Utterly. Absolutely. Smooth and light skin as far as she could see, curves in all the perfect places, uniquely-tinted tresses falling over her back and shoulders like breathtaking waves of amaranth magenta, and last but definitely not the least were those flaming gold amber eyes that made Akali feel like _she_ was the one who was naked between them.

And those lips! They weren't precisely red, but they were darker than the usual light pink hue of a normal person's lips. It's as if it was inviting Akali for a kiss.

A perfect set of white teeth completed the blinding smile of the enchanting stranger, which almost made Akali forget the fact that the nude woman before her was an intruder.

"Y-You...!" Akali shook her head, straightening up and putting on the most intimidating look she could manage at that moment. "Who the hell are you!?"

Instead of apologizing or sputtering a bunch of excuses about why she was there, the woman merely grinned, made her way around the sofa and approached Akali, who tried weaving through the other when she tried cornering her against the wall.

The artist's efforts were a tad bit futile though.

Akali sucked in a breath and held it all in when a pair of arms abruptly encircled around her waist from behind, foiling her attempt of escape. Her body became stiff in reaction when the yet to be identified woman rested her chin over her right shoulder and released a delicate hum.

Her face warmed up to the highest extent once she felt the intruder's rather bountiful breasts press against her back, making her feel like there were two soft cushions squished against her.

"Good morning, _honey~_" Came the purr-like greeting.

"Hah!?" Akali squeaked out, stilling immediately when she felt the woman tug on the hem of her shirt before slipping a hand underneath. She gasped when she felt the featherlight touch of the woman's fingers gliding over her well-sculpted abdomen. "H-Hey! Get off!"

"But, darling...-"

"Let go!" Akali broke out of the woman's hold, stumbling a few steps forward before she spun around and faced her. She raised a hand at the unnamed female, who thankfully halted any type of advances. "Okay, _you_ stay back, alright? I don't want you coming near me right now, or else... Or else I'm calling the cops!"

The amber-eyed woman slightly pouted, still seemingly unfazed by the fact that she's standing naked in front of Akali. "That's not exactly nice of you."

"Not nice of me?" Akali briefly gestured at herself in disbelief. "Look, you're gorgeous. As in, _extremely _hot, but I don't even know you! And hello? You're currently trespassing here in my apartment! Right now, I have every right to call the police."

"Trespassing?" The woman crossed her arms and stared at Akali with mild confusion in her eyes. "What are you talking about? I live here with you."

"With me? Since when?"

Akali's pretty sure she would have noticed if she did indeed share her apartment with alluring woman like her.

As much as Akali would love a beauty like her to be her roommate, she had to think rationally right now and could not let herself be distracted. Although, it was honestly hard to focus, especially since the intruder wasn't even making an effort in covering her nudity.

"Since you asked for me." Was the woman's response, looking rather proud with her reply.

"Since I asked? What?" Akali shook her head, finding the stranger's answer absolutely ridiculous. "I don't even know you, let alone...-"

"I'm Evelynn."

Suddenly, there was silence.

There were no words or other bodily reactions she could give but the one she presented upon the moment that followed.

Eyes wide, form frozen and vocabulary nonexistent. Her eyes darted from the strands of vibrant magenta down to that perfect figure, which urged her to take a step back, especially when she finally noticed the devilish heart tattoo just below the woman's left breast. That particular ink on her skin was enough to send Akali's brain spiraling into a state of absolute confusion.

Unaware of her actions, Akali was still backing away from the woman who claimed to be the imaginary character that had only ever existed _in her head._ 'Til now, that is.

Akali unexpectedly lost her balance and ended up falling over and onto the nearest couch, but before she could bring herself back up, she merely blinked and was put in an unforeseen predicament. She was being straddled by the one that had rendered her speechless, which momentarily prompted her to do nothing but stare.

"Hello, Akali." Evelynn purred as she caressed Akali's face with the same heavenly hands the artists always imagined.

"E-E-Evelynn...?" Akali stuttered, unable to think of anything else to say. Recognition was clear in her eyes, but other than that, there was nothing else but disbelief and total shock.

A grin, which was swiftly followed by a sweet coo.

"And here I thought you forgot about me."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**ACT 2**

"Wear it."

"No."

"I said, wear it."

"Repeating what you said won't change anything. My answer is still a no."

Right eye twitching, Akali suppressed the urge to force the woman seated on the couch into the black dragon shirt and the plain white panties she was offering.

It took a lot of squirming and pushing, and maybe a bit of blushing here and there, but Akali had freed herself from her place on the sofa earlier and away from the other female's captivity.

After sprinting to back to her bedroom and rummaging through her dresser, she was now trying to clothe her unexpected guest, who seemed to be determined in maintaining her nude state. So far though, her commands were being brushed off as if they were of no importance.

Akali huffed, exerting a fair amount of self-control just to keep herself from looking at the woman's chest, which was emphasized due to the arms crossed underneath it.

"Why won't you wear it?" She gritted out, shaking the shirt and underwear in front of the woman that stared back at her, albeit defiantly.

"It's too small."

"I don't have anything bigger!" Akali nearly shouted before using the clothes to gesture at the admittedly generous bust that's completely out in the open. "Mine aren't as big as _those_, y'know!"

"Obviously." Evelynn, the goddess that seemed to have a natural habit in getting under Akali's skin, shrugged nonchalantly.

"What do you want to wear, then? Because I sure as heck won't let you walk around my apartment naked."

Evelynn raised an eyebrow as she leaned forward, causing the artist to silently gulp in reaction. "Wouldn't that be more... _delightful_? Especially for you?"

"This isn't about what's delightful!" Akali immediately stated, shaking the clothes once again. "This is about _decency_!"

"Oh, darling," Evelynn stood up, which made Akali retreat back and nearly trip on the small coffee table behind her if the mentioned beauty didn't grab one of her wrists and reeled her forward. Smiling sweetly, Evelynn locked her arms around Akali's waist and pressed most of herself against her. "what's so indecent about you seeing your little lady in her truest form, hmm?"

Instead of pushing Evelynn back and attempting another escape from her grasp, Akali found herself staring at the disarming smile right in front of her and mere inches away from her face.

"You can't be real..." She heard herself say to the woman against her, still unable to comprehend how the literal deity of her dreams was right there and was practically seducing her with a mere smile.

The feisty aura of the vixen morphed to warm and soothing in just a few seconds, one hand coming up to brush against Akali's cheek before settling on pinching her chin between two fingers. She had no choice but to look at nothing but those stunning ambers.

It made her heart pound so hard, while she felt slightly lightheaded with the nearly nonexistent space between themselves. Clearly, the shirt and shorts she herself was wearing could barely serve as a reasonable barrier between her well-toned body and Evelynn's voluptuous figure.

"I can't be if you didn't want me to be." Evelynn murmured, thumb gliding over Akali's chin.

The entire scene was literally a silly fantasy that had come true. Out of everything Akali had ever thought about and created, she never expected the very first original character she drew would come to life, especially not like this, and try her hardest to seduce her into doing things that should not be so loosely said.

But here Evelynn was, seemingly appearing as real as she could get.

Akali snapped out of the trance Evelynn's gaze had encased her in the second she realized that the mentioned woman was leaning down and pulling her in for a kiss. With wide eyes and a jerky movement of her arm, Akali shoved the shirt and underwear at Evelynn's face.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Akali questioned, leaning back as much as she could.

"Trying to kiss you." Came Evelynn's muffled but truthful reply.

"N-No way!" Akali finally moved away, the action much easier since Evelynn only had one arm around her. Once she stepped out of the goddess' reach, she threw the clothes at the woman, who easily caught it with one hand. "Just put those on, please?"

Evelynn, instead of pursuing Akali right then and there for the kiss she wanted, looked down at the two pieces of fabric she had in hand before raising her head back up and asking, "What do I get in return?"

"Uhh, you'll be decently clothed?" Akali somewhat sarcastically replied.

"Aside from that, what else, hmm?"

"Well...-"

"Walking around naked in your apartment, knowing you'll be looking at me is _truly _something I certainly do not mind, so please, darling. Do make me a good bargain."

Akali became rigid for a moment, her gaze darting from one furniture to another, trying to think of something that'll finally convince the other woman to finally cover herself. The latter seemed to be determined in exposing her whole body to the artist for the entire day as if she was a magnificent marble statue carved and created to be admired with not a single inch of coverage, and no way was Akali going to let _that_ happen.

Although, having a breathtaking beauty roam around her apartment during Christmas _can_ be considered a gift itself...

She shook her head. _'Focus, Akali!'_

"Alright, what..." Akali trailed off as she shifted from her place, glancing at Evelynn every second or two to make sure the woman wouldn't be able to try something unexpected. "What else do you want anyway?"

Evelynn smiled, looking like she had just won a bet, which made Akali become still for a second. "I want you to take me out."

Akali blinked at the goddess. "Take you... out? As in, out on a date?"

"If you want." Evelynn said with a little shrug. "I don't exactly mind whatever you want to do as long as I do it with you."

"Right..." Akali adjusted her posture, coughing lowly as she averted her gaze from Evelynn. She didn't know if she should be flattered that such a striking woman wanted to spend time with her, or be embarrassed by how openly the said beauty expressed her genuine yearning.

"Besides, I would _love_ to go out on a date with my beloved creator."

"Creator?"

"Yes, creator. Without you, I'd be nothing."

"...Don't call me that."

"Call you what?"

"That. _Creator_." Akali crossed her arms, eyes flicking to Evelynn's direction while mild displeasure sparked in her eyes. "It sounds wrong."

"How so?"

"You talk as if _I_ actually created you."

"That's because you did. It's the reason why I'm here now." Evelynn told her truthfully, not precisely going into detail about the process on how she became true and alive in the first place.

"Oh really?"

"Mm-hm. You gave me this gorgeous bone structure, this heart-pounding body, these lustrous tresses I so adore, these hands that are like an angel's, lips that could take ANYONE'S breath away and of course," Evelynn eyed Akali with a gleam that prompted her to swallow. "this little, one-of-a-kind tattoo."

Admittedly, Akali thought Evelynn's self-description was quite poetic and rather spot-on with how she herself would describe the seductress. Minus the passionate words, though.

"We literally just met twenty minutes ago."

"You've known me for years, Akali." Evelynn started as she passed the clothes in her grasp between her hands, the corner of her lips curving upward in the slightest manner.

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

Tossing the unwanted underwear aside, Evelynn swiftly advanced and wound the shirt around Akali's waist. She pulled her forward in an abrupt motion, causing the artist to stumble until she had fallen back into the arms of the sly woman. The latter oh so delicately smiled as she gradually leaned in, words being murmured in a dangerously low and husky tone.

"Only _you_ know who I truly am and what I deeply desire. No one else." Evelynn told her, tightly gripping the shirt and not at all allowing Akali from escaping her this time. "I wouldn't come to be if you didn't want me."

"T-That...-! I..." Akali didn't know what to say, her words running away from her like a bunch of pathetic cowards. She didn't expect that a little quick sketch of an imaginary character would cause her to lose all of her composure, especially since said character was now holding her flushed against the body that looked like it was made out of absolute sin.

"Come now, Akali..." Evelynn leisurely loosened her grip on the shirt, letting it fall out of her hands and onto the floor before she glided her fingertips over the mildly muscled arms of the illustrator. "Do you not want me...?"

It's as if the poor, defenseless heart within her was being wrapped in an embrace of smooth velvet, threatening to bring it to an abrupt stop with its seemingly harmless touch. Akali felt so vulnerable in the goddess' arms, but she couldn't bring herself to be frightened by such feeling.

Her heart might be telling her to just surrender herself to the heavenly embrace of the vixen, but her mind was literally screaming at her for being so weak just because of a mere woman's touch.

But Evelynn wasn't _just_ a woman, was she?

Regardless though...

"Stop it!" Akali suddenly shouted, greatly squirming in the soft hold of the beauty, whose face wore an afflicted look the artist missed when she hastily twisted and shuffled away from her. "Can you _please_ not touch me?"

Instead of forlornly frowning, Evelynn stared at Akali for a moment before bending down and retrieving the shirt, eyes absently inspecting the piece of clothing as she murmured, "Are you that _disgusted_ of me?"

"What?" Akali stared, stunned at the quietly-uttered inquiry.

"You wouldn't even let me come near you."

"That's because you're _naked_!"

"You didn't seem to be in a hurry in clothing me when you were drawing me."

Akali blinked a couple of times, somewhat baffled that Evelynn even knew about how careful and precise she was when it came to the time of her adding the details of her figure. But of course, if Evelynn really did come from the sketch inspired by her imagination, then Akali shouldn't really be too surprised now.

"That's different." She muttered, briefly making a face. She shook her head, sighing before saying, "Listen, just put on the clothes. Don't make this a big deal, okay?"

"..."

"Okay?"

"...Hmm."

The hum sounded so flat and void of emotion, which was an admittedly abrupt shift of her mood, and Akali couldn't exactly say why she was internally disturbed by such little thing. She chose to brush off the distressing feeling crawling up her back, focusing more on the possibility that maybe Evelynn just miraculously decided to surrender to her terms.

Just when she dared herself to take her gaze from the other woman, another request was asked from her. A particular action that involved the goddess offering a hand, palm facing the floor. Akali glanced at the slim fingers staring right at her before she looked up to the owner and queried.

"What is it now?"

"A little kiss at least?"

Evelynn was asking for a kiss on her forehand. She wasn't demanding it, nor was she performing any more attempts in getting physically close to Akali. The outstretched hand was hoping to receive a rather innocent gesture a couple of gentlemen still do in the era they're now in, but Akali still felt the touch of distrust at the back of her mind. She couldn't help but think that the amber-eyed vixen still had an ulterior motive.

"Please?" Evelynn lightly insisted, hope glimmering in the incredible amber gaze she possessed and lacing such softly spoken word. "It wouldn't really hurt you now, would it?"

Azures wandered to the flawless hand being held out, silent contemplation showing in the face of the illustrator. Uncertainty, skepticism, Akali's eyes did all the talking for her.

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

Evelynn's hand fell to her side, completely disregarded by Akali, who decided to just continue turning herself away and retreating back to her bedroom to either prepare for the day or to get some pants. Whatever she intended on doing, it was clearly more important to her than giving the goddess the small kiss she was asking for.

The once blazing amber hue were now dull and reflected the emotion of melancholy. Unmistakably, Evelynn was greatly affected by Akali's actions, feeling somewhat depressed that the little request she asked for was rudely and blatantly denied.

Instead of pouting like some bratty child or some emotional wreck of a woman, Evelynn wore an expression that made her look relaxed as she recovered the panties she had carelessly thrown away and began to dress herself. She silently contemplated with herself about the series of events that had transpired between her and her creator, which gave her something to occupy her mind with.

Akali was actually prone to being guilt-tripped quite easily and Evelynn knew that, but she didn't take advantage of it. Hell, she knew _everything _about Akali, just like how the artist knew everything about _her_.

"Yet she denies it..." Evelynn whispered under her breath, sounding gravely saddened.

Crafted by the vivid and massively vast imagination of the gifted illustrator, Evelynn was everything Akali wanted her to be. A beguiling beauty that was capable of turning the heads of practically every man and woman that she'd cross paths with.

Akali _designed _her.

Shirt fittingly wrapped around her torso and underwear already providing enough coverage for her to be at least a bit decent, Evelynn hugged herself and slowly ran her hands over her own arms, eyes wandering to the entrance of the small hall Akali disappeared off to.

It was Akali who _created_ her.

Yet, why did she act as if Evelynn was a complete stranger?

A hand brushed against the front of her shirt, fingertips feeling each firm heartbeat.

What was that?

Evelynn's eyebrows furrowed as her fingers pressed over her chest and tried soothing the disturbing feeling coming from within her. It was unfamiliar and it had this immensely displeasing prickling sensation she was not at all loving.

She didn't like it at all.

Meanwhile, inside the apartment unit's sleeping quarters, Akali was rummaging for the pants Irelia had gifted her a year or two ago. The bottom clothing in particular were a pair of jeans that were unfortunately too loose for Akali. Thankfully, she now found a purpose for those denim pants.

While Akali rifled through the drawers of her dresser, her train of thought drifted away until her mind was replaying what she had done. Even though she hadn't witnessed the crestfallen expression Evelynn had worn, Akali could feel hints of guilt welling in the pit of her stomach. It made her _really _uncomfortable.

"I must be losing my mind." Akali murmured, still somewhat trying to convince herself that she probably just hallucinated earlier and she totally didn't see a nude vixen in her living room. "She can't be real. She just can't."

Once she found the jeans she was looking for, she pulled it out of the drawer and started making her way out of her bedroom in a snail's pace, also swiping one of her loose hoodies from her closet. Her fingers would clench and fumble absently with the clothes she had in her hands, lips pursing firmly as she thought about what she'll once again be facing when she returns to the main area of the apartment.

"Okay, alright, if she really is a _real _person, maybe... Maybe she has a record somewhere." Akali made a mental note in calling one of the friends she made when she recently moved to where she lives now. Her friend's a Deputy in the law enforcement of the city, so maybe she could lend her some assistance.

Somehow, a part of her was hoping Evelynn just coincidentally had the same name as her own character and maybe the woman was just some gorgeous stranger that had a few screws loose in the head.

Another part of her thought otherwise though. It was a wholly different story according to this one. Maybe Evelynn really was a result of her imagination, which was probably caused by the old man from last night. This part of her refused to let go of such possibility.

As Akali stepped out of her bedroom and made her way back to the living room, she tapped her chin in contemplation. If Evelynn coming alive was caused by the fact that she drew her in the remaining page the man had in his book, does that mean there were more out there?

Characters that came to life all because of an old guy wandering around the park?

Valoran Park was always described as a venue like no other after all.

When Akali finally returned to the main area of the apartment, relief washed over her the moment she saw Evelynn seated on the sofa, shirt and panties covering body parts that should've been covered in the first place. Although, the shirt looked _really _uncomfortable for Evelynn, especially with how tight it hugged her torso and appeared nearly like some second skin of hers.

Hopefully, the hoodie would be able to provide the woman a more decent amount of coverage.

Softly clearing her throat to announce her presence, Akali brought the jeans and jacket up and showed it to Evelynn. "I have some more clothes that might fit you."

"Thank you." Evelynn thanked, suddenly appearing so polite and more tamed than she was earlier. Again, her actions prompted Akali to bring her guard up and her senses on high-alert. The change of attitude was like a call for caution in Akali's perspective.

Unlike her manner of interaction towards Akali a couple of minutes ago, Evelynn was now acting like how a true guest should be. Even with her legs tucked back and her hands latched on her knees to keep them from stretching forward, Akali couldn't stop her eyes from shortly taking in such eye-pleasing sight.

But when she heard Evelynn clear her throat, Akali's face reddened in embarrassment, knowing she was caught red-handed in checking the woman out. She hastily handed the pants to the other female, who watched her with a scrutinizing gaze while slipping into the jeans that were provided.

Akali was a bit hesitant, but she ended up situating herself on the same sofa Evelynn's on. Only an arm's length served as their space in between themselves, and the thought of the siren reaching out to her briefly crossed her mind before she chose to give the latter the benefit of the doubt.

Once Evelynn was officially dressed, Akali chose to shift on her seat to face the said woman, who was quick in imitating her actions. The second their eyes met, Akali almost choked on her own spit. If Evelynn _truly _was the product of her imagination, then she most certainly forgot that the goddess had a gaze that could take anyone's breath away and beauty that could steal anyone's heart in just a mere second.

Again, Akali cleared her throat before saying, "How 'bout we start over?"

"By start over, you mean...?"

"Maybe you could introduce yourself in a more _'detailed'_ type of way? Are you getting me? Like..." Akali adjusted herself from her place before offering a hand to shake. "I'm Akali, and I'm an illustrator in _Riot Games_."

"I know."

Motioning with the hand she had held out, Akali tried ushering Evelynn to take her own turn in introducing herself. The magenta-haired woman glanced at her hand before softly sighing and reaching out, shaking it as she gave her own introduction.

"And I'm Evelynn." She started, sounding like she found the entire thing was unnecessary. "Claimed to be a goddess of beauty and said to be the most beautiful woman in the world by none other than my creator, Tethi Akali."

Akali groaned, letting her hand fall out of Evelynn's grasp the moment it loosened. She rubbed her nape, feeling more than a little exasperated. "Seriously?"

"What?"

"First of all, I told you not to call me that. Second, stop saying that I created you."

"Why?" Evelynn asked, eyebrows furrowing and annoyance slightly showing. "It's the truth, isn't it?"

"How?" Akali questioned with a hasty gesture at Evelynn. "How can I create _you_? I'm just a normal, average artist that wants to make a decent living in drawing random characters."

"But I'm not just a random character, am I?"

"You...-" Akali pursed her lips before she could finish with her point. She sighed and leaned back, auditing Evelynn, who regarded her with an expectant look. "...No, you're not."

"Then, there you have it."

"Listen. That guy... He's..." Akali's eyebrows knitted together as she tried recalling the name of the old man she had spoken to last night. "Who was he again...?"

"Zilean."

"You know him?"

"I do."

"Then..." It suddenly clicked. With realization falling upon her like a ton of bricks, Akali pushed herself back until she was perched on the armrest of the couch, pointing a finger at Evelynn as she said, "Please tell me this isn't some weird, special call-in sex escort I accidentally got myself into."

Evelynn blankly stared at Akali, unamused and not at all fazed with her assumption. "Really?"

Akali now looked like she had just cracked a murder case. "I knew it! I knew you were too beautiful to exist! The only person I told about you was that _Oji-san_ from last night! He asked me to describe you, and he probably tailed me home and now you're here!"

"Alright, calm down." Evelynn decided to intervene before she could go further into detail with her accusation. "You're panicking now because your longtime crush _actually_ likes you back. I know, it's a shocker, isn't it?

"This isn't the time for jokes!"

Evelynn shrugged, not at all able to stop herself from teasing the artist. After all, Akali did give her a playful trait. "Fine. Killjoy."

"I'm being serious here!" Akali said, slightly pouting as she cautiously eyed the goddess. "Zilean is the only person that knows about you other than me! Is he your handler?"

"Would you please stop accusing him of being some old perverted pimp?" Evelynn asked with a sweet, sarcastic smile. "How dirty is that mind of yours?"

Akali's face became bright red all of a sudden. "My mind's _not_ dirty!"

"Says the woman that drew me."

"Shut up!"

"No need to shout and be all defensive, then." Evelynn then took this as a chance to flash a smirk. "Unless, you have a reason to be."

One blue eye twitched. "Y-You...! You...!"

** _Buzz! Buzz!_ **

Both women snapped their heads to the front door, where a bunch of soft knocks followed after the initial buzzing of Akali's apartment door buzzer. The pair did nothing but stare at the wooden panel, either women similarly thinking if they really heard the mentioned noises.

.....

.....

.....

"Akali!" Came the cheerful voice of a friend. "It's us! Siv and Bokkie!"

Akali's eyes widened in absolute panic. Hastily, she grabbed both of Evelynn's wrists and yanked her off the couch with her, dragging her by one wrist towards her bedroom. It was a bit surprising that the goddess chose to silently allow herself to be hauled off somewhere other than the living room.

"Ooh," Evelynn spoke up once she was inside Akali's sleeping quarters. "have you finally accepted that I'm your beloved goddess and have finally succumbed to your desire for my touch?"

"What?" Akali looked at Evelynn as if she had lost her mind. "No! I want you to stay here and just be quiet! Don't come out until my friends leave!"

"You're not even going to introduce me to them? Rude."

"No!" And with that, Akali slammed the door close before she could hear anything else from Evelynn, who was actually halfway in saying something.

The artist stood there in front of her bedroom door for at least three seconds, only leaving to finally answer the door when she was certain that Evelynn wouldn't come back out and reveal herself to their unexpected visitors.

"Hey, guys!" Akali greeted with as much excitement as she could present without appearing suspicious. She wouldn't want her two friends to find out about the bewitching woman that's been attempting to seduce her in her bedroom now, would she?

"Merry Christmas, Kali!" Was the first thing she heard before a certain purple-haired dancer practically launched herself towards her and engulfed her in a tight hug.

"Ey, Bokkie!" Akali responded back, exerting quite an effort in preventing herself and Kai'Sa from crashing down the floor.

"Take it easy there, _habibti_." Sivir said, chuckling as she gave her girlfriend a poke on the shoulder. "You gotta remember that Akali here is _really _small. Wouldn't want to squish her."

Akali shot Sivir a lighthearted glare as her energetic friend started retracting from her arms. "Again with my height."

A jesting grin was instantly flashed by the brown-haired female. "Just pointing out the obvious, buddy."

"Stop it, Siv." Kai'Sa half-heartedly scolded, giving the delivery girl a bump on the hip. "Pretty sure Kali doesn't want to get reminded that she won't be getting taller anytime soon."

One of Akali's eyes threatened to twitch, while Sivir covered her lips to stifle her snickering. "Yeah, sure, thanks a lot for that."

"You're welcome." Kai'Sa playfully replied, feigning ignorance towards the sarcasm in the artist's voice.

"Heights aside," Akali muttered, shifting the flow of their talk. "I thought you two were already at _Shurima_."

Sivir decided to answer her with a scratch at the back of her head, while she laughed a tad bit sheepishly. "We're supposed to be there last night, but our flight was kinda moved."

"We figured we could drop off our gift for you first before we left the city." Kai'Sa then started poking at Akali, which caused the illustrator to step away in an effort in dodging the little assault. "Y'know, since you're alone during this holiday and all."

"You know me, I usually go solo. Lone wolf and all." Akali said, offering a confident grin. When one of the tenants of the apartment building passed by behind the pair, Akali tried covering her embarrassment with a small cough. "Oh, uh, would you two like to come in though?"

Both women in front of her shot her an amused look, the dancer jokingly replying with, "I thought you'd never ask."

Akali gave a slightly sheepish laugh as she allowed the two inside her apartment, desperately hoping her little guest won't burst out of her bedroom in all her naked glory. Hopefully, Evelynn kept the clothes she gave her on and remained in her sleeping quarters until she came to retrieve her.

A glance at the hall leading to her room and the sight of the still closed door confirmed that Evelynn had yet to disobey her and was actually doing what she was told. As calmly as she could, Akali led her pair of friends to the living room, where she planned on entertaining them throughout their entire visit.

"So, do you guys want anything?" Akali queried once the two were seated on one of the loveseats.

"Nah, we're fine." Sivir said with a wave of a hand. "Wouldn't want to get one of your precious ramyuns."

"And who says my ramyun's part of my offer?"

A fleeting moment passed and the two broke out in laughter, while Kai'Sa rolled her eyes at their little banter. Once Akali occupied the armchair across the couple and started talking about her future projects, Kai'Sa's latest dance students and Sivir's amusing adventures concerning pizza delivery, the trio fell in a comfortable rhythm that allowed the drawing artist to relax completely and forget about the woman she had hidden in her bedroom.

Inside the mentioned quarters though...

Evelynn quietly huffed to herself once she heard Akali's laughter overlap with their visitor's own. For a moment, the woman glared at the closed panel, not liking how it's serving as a barrier between her and her creator.

When she came to existence, she was eagerly hoping to be greeted with the literal open arms of her beloved artist, just like how one of her fellow creations was welcomed by the man that made her. Be acknowledged with warmth like no other, for she was a goddess that was exalted among others. At least in Akali's eyes supposedly.

Much to her dismay though, the blue-eyed illustrator merely ended up tripping over her own words and losing her composure the moment their paths finally crossed in reality. Evelynn still felt a bit offended and somewhat disappointed with Akali's prior attempts in obscuring her gorgeous body with such clothing she found too tight for her said figure.

_'What am I supposed to do now?'_

When Evelynn finally accepted the fact that glaring at the door was a waste of time and had turned away to focus her attention to something worthwhile, she felt her legs momentarily weaken beneath her, which prompted her to stumble on her way to the still messy bed of the artist.

A light resounding sigh left her lips once she allowed her backside to plant on the side of the bed, her eyes distractedly wandering as she considered the significant decrease of her physical strength.

The more Akali refused to believe she's real, the more she'll lose her cohesion.

Evelynn's gaze darted towards the desk, where she could feel the call of the power embedded in the parchment where she was initially drawn.

Forcing herself to ignore the small devitalizing sensation within her, she vacated the bed and somewhat trudged towards where her sketch can be found. The second she reached the wooden furniture, she carefully retrieved the lonely paper on top.

The moment her fingers touched the thin, old-looking sheet, a shock of rejuvenation abruptly coursed through her, vanquishing the unexplainable weight in her legs. Evelynn eyed the sketch Akali had done of her, looking almost like she was cursing the rather crude image of herself with her gaze.

As long as Akali didn't believe in her, the paper pinched between her fingers would serve as her lifeline.

If ever it came down to the possibility of the artist writing her off as nothing but a fantasy that turned into a crazy hallucination, then this piece of paper was her only hope in surviving.

There's actually an alternative method, but it wasn't exactly preferable, especially if the goddess was hoping to solidify an intimate relationship between her and her charming creator. She truly thought that the secondary was just unpleasant.

To Akali probably, which was something Evelynn knew she could confidently confirm, despite the fact that she had yet to do such.

If push comes to shove, well...

Maybe the goddess should formulate a contingency plan.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

"Thanks for the gift, you two!" Akali thanked with a grin, waving the glass case, where her new wristwatch can be found, at the departing pair.

"Don't mention it." Sivir said with a little grin of her own, while Kai'Sa showed off a toothy smile and happily waved goodbye at her before the elevator doors could close.

"We'll see you next year, Kali!" Kai'Sa bid with a mix of humor and sincerity. "Merry Christmas!"

"You, too!"

"Oh! And a happy new year!" The dance instructor managed to respond back with her usual lively tone before the steel doors ultimately banished any more chances in saying any more.

With the accessory case in hand and a small smile on her lips, Akali walked back to her unit, examining the black and green wristwatch throughout her short walk. Just by looking at the brand marking the cushion the watch was strapped around, Akali knew the item she had received probably came near the label _'outrageously expensive'_.

It came from Kai'Sa _and _Sivir, after all.

Akali had just walked back inside her apartment when she heard the elfin voice of the woman that had mysteriously appeared in her home.

"I thought they would _never_ leave."

The Christmas spirit her friends had lit within her upon their inadvertent visit fluctuated once she caught sight of the beauty lounging across the long couch like a self-entitled cat making itself comfortable on a place where it shouldn't be on.

Enticing the sight truly was, the weight of the little _'problem'_ came back to Akali full-force, which nearly prompted her in groaning as she approached the vixen beckoning her with a finger and a smile that didn't even come close in being considered innocent.

"Where did we stop again?" Akali asked, albeit reluctantly.

Evelynn propped herself up with one of her elbows, eyeing Akali with a combined look of suprise and amusement. "Oh, so I get to decide where we stopped?"

Akali squinted her eyes at the woman. "You know what I mean."

"I do. I really do." Evelynn tittered quietly, pushing herself up and shifting in a seated position, crossing her legs and causing the pants she was wearing to wrap around her legs more fittingly. "Just to be frank, dearest, Zilean is _not_, as you have said, my _'handler'_."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because you _want_ me to be here."

Akali groaned and slapped both of her hands on her face, dragging her palms over it soon after. She didn't know if she was going to get frustrated or what with this talk of theirs about Evelynn's reason in being there. They were obviously going around in circles from the very beginning.

"How many times are you going to say that?"

"As much as I have to." Was Evelynn's immediate yet lightly vocalized reply.

"Seriously?"

"Even if it means I have to drill it in that pretty little head of yours, my darling."

Another groan almost left the illustrator, who managed to suppress it before it could reach the other woman's ears. She settled in running a hand through her hair, which once again tousled the tresses even more than its natural state.

"You can't just expect me to believe that you're..."

"_Your_ Evelynn?"

Akali blinked. "_My_ Evelynn?"

"Mm-hm." The siren stood up and closed the visible gap between them with just a couple of steps, but she wasn't as _'touchy-feely'_ as she was earlier. "Is that not what I am? A woman _you_ deem as a goddess."

"Again, you can't just expect me to believe you're _that_ person!" Akali reasoned, torn between the decision in either stepping back or remaining rooted on her spot.

"Maybe not immediately," Evelynn said, the smile curving on her lips and the look gleaming in her eyes seemingly showing how she understood Akali's hesitance. "but you will."

"And I'm supposed to trust you enough to let you live here?"

Evelynn gave her a single head-to-toe glance before stepping back and feigning dramatics, leisurely falling back onto the sofa. "Would you really send me out on the streets? I would have nowhere else to go."

"You look like you live in a mansion." Akali muttered under her breath with no intention in having the amber-eyed woman hear her, but that certainly wasn't the case.

"I would if _you_ lived in one."

"Here we go again with the _'me and you' _stuff."

"So," Evelynn fiddled with one of her fingers for a brief moment before looking back up and making eye contact. "would you really do it?"

Although the concept was absolutely reasonable due to the fact that she just met Evelynn an hour or two ago, Akali's conscience couldn't take it. If something happened to the bewitching female, she'd probably be haunted by guilt at the end of the day.

Throwing out such a _'defenseless'_ woman on the streets during Christmas wasn't exactly something Akali could bring herself in doing. Not now and probably not ever.

Sighing loudly, Akali cursed herself in her head before fully focusing her attention to the vixen regarding her with an expectant look that evidently showed how she knew she had emerged victorious in the discussion.

"You're sleeping on the couch."

Evelynn draped herself across the mentioned furniture, one of her hands gliding over the armrest to show that she didn't mind. "Well, it _is_ a comfortable couch."

Akali made a face, thinking about how she really needed to contact her friend in the police force. "Don't get too comfy."

"Wouldn't dream of it, darling."

Just by looking into those amber orbs filled with nothing but mischief, Akali knew there was going to be a huge chance that she's going to regret letting the woman stay with her.

It was going to be one heck of a holiday.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

The sound of pencil scratching against paper filled the room the character illustrator was at, nose buried not in a book, but a project she's been working on for the past few weeks. Around her, there were many more supplies and equipment free for her to use in not only drawing, but also digitalizing as well. The tools she may use may not be as prestige as some expect she would usually use, but they all did more than just get the job done, which was enough for the said artist.

Behind her, Evelynn can be found sitting on two stacked boxes of bond papers, looking absolutely bored out of her mind as she idly watched Akali single-mindedly work on her sketching.

"How much longer is that going to take?"

"What're you talking about?" Akali half-consciously asked, most of her focus still directed to the character design she was doing.

"That sketch of yours." Evelynn said, her disdainful gaze clearly showing how she was not at all pleased that the drawing Akali was working on took the latter's attention more than she could manage.

"I need to have this ready for my presentation next week," Akali spared a look over her shoulder, only to provide Evelynn a mildly annoyed stare. "so this is gonna take a _long while_, trust me."

When Akali flashed what seemed to be a smug look to emphasize that she wasn't going to give Evelynn the time of day, the said woman returned it with a sarcastic smile before the artist spun her head back and refocused on her project. Judging from the displeased expression that took over the goddess' face after, it became even more obvious how irritated she was that Akali was purposely neglecting her.

"Are you seriously going to leave me to amuse myself throughout the holiday?"

Akali snorted, but didn't bother looking over her shoulder this time. "Last time I checked, I'm not exactly required to entertain _anyone _today."

"You won't at least take me out for ice cream?"

The artist scoffed. "Ice cream? What're you, twelve?"

"Well, last time _I_ checked, that was your ideal date."

"Back when I was literally _twelve_? Yeah, sure." Akali stopped sketching for a moment, shuddering when she realized what Evelynn had said. Of course this strange yet admittedly alluring woman she just met today knew about her dream date when she was a kid. How terrific and not at all creepy.

By the time Akali continued with her work again, a couple of seconds had only passed when she realized that her new roommate fell suspiciously quiet. She stopped again and listened for any sound the other female would cause, but only the nearly mute sound of clothes rustling reached her ears.

.....

.....

.....

Akali gasped and dropped the pencil she was holding out of surprise, her right hand being pulled behind her before pressing against a bare, firmly-shaped thigh that belonged to none other than Evelynn.

"What're you...-!"

"Would you prefer to eat _my_ cream instead?" Came the huskily-uttered offer of the goddess as she held Akali's forehand and guided her fingers around her unclad thigh.

"What the hell!? No!" Akali snatched her hand back and threw herself to the side and off her seat, which resulted in Evelynn watching her with amusement in the midst of her swift retreat, taking half a step back to also avoid being struck by the artist's head.

The frazzled female scrambled around the floor for a few seconds, standing up hastily and looking away immediately once she saw that Evelynn had abandoned every piece of clothing beneath her waist over the boxes she was sitting on earlier, underwear included.

"Fine! We'll go out for ice cream! Just put your pants back on!"

And as if she wasn't making a point with the use of her nudity, Evelynn sweetly smiled and nodded before strutting back to her clothes, picking them up instead of slipping them back on like she was told. "I knew you'd see it my way."

Once the half-naked vixen left the room to hopefully cover herself again for their impromptu trip, Akali released a sigh of relief. She huffed and fixed her ruffled shirt, eyeing the doorway where Evelynn had disappeared off to.

For a moment, Akali thought about just locking the door and resuming her project, but she figured that might just _intensify _Evelynn's advances towards her. That would surely cost her more of her work time and would most likely result in her avoiding the sweet, tempting clutches of a half-clad beauty chasing after her.

With an audible groan filled with stress and irritation, Akali trailed after the woman that seemed to be oh so excited in taking a trip to the ice cream shop.

What could go wrong, right?

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

A lot of things could actually go wrong, Akali realized.

It was around early afternoon when they left the apartment, which of course left Akali somehow no choice but to take Evelynn out for lunch first before heading to the nearby ice cream parlor.

"We'll take the duo meal, please."

Akali was digging out the necessary bills from her wallet while occasionally shrugging Evelynn's hands off her shoulders. When the time came that she she raised her head to look at the cashier, who she caught red-handed in blatantly staring at her clingy companion, she discovered that not only was the employee just around the same age as her, but clearly, he wasn't as resistant as she was towards the goddess' charms.

"Uhh, hey, buddy." Akali tried waving a hand once in front of the guy's face, but it didn't even deter his stare from the woman behind her.

"May I, uhh... May I take your order?" The employee asked again, his eyes unwavering from its fixation to Evelynn, who finally succeeded in securely clasping her hands over Akali's shoulders. Her little triumph was mainly due to the fact that the artist was more focused in acquiring the cashier's attention instead of refusing her touch.

Evelynn, satisfied with her hands' perch on Akali's shoulders, looked over the latter's shoulders and smiled at the cashier. "I'll have what she's having."

Rather dumbly, the young man nodded and started tapping away on the screen of his cash register. "One duo meal, um, coming right up."

"Thank you." Came the sweetly-uttered thanks of the siren, while her creator just huffed and handed payment to the still distracted cashier.

Meekly gesturing at the side, the guy said, "Please just move to the side and we'll have your order ready."

While Akali grumbled under her breath about something resembling bad service, Evelynn once again offered an amiable smile at the cashier before she stepped along with Akali to the side to allow the next customer to order their own food.

"Can you please stop touching me?" Akali asked with aggravation hinting in her voice, shrugging Evelynn's hands off for what felt like the umpteenth time.

Evelynn momentarily frowned at the blatant refusal of physical contact, but such expression was swiftly replaced by a fond smile once Akali turned away from the front counter and decided to face her. Despite their tiny height difference, Akali still felt a bit _affected _with the other's stature.

"Is this how you always treat your date?" Evelynn asked in a light tone, seemingly undaunted by Akali's words and reactions. "Shrugging off their touch and glaring at them?"

The mentioned glare slightly intensified upon the goddess' truthful observation. "This _isn't_ a date."

"Ah, yes, no, of course not." Evelynn simply agreed with a small smile and a nod. "Knowing you, you would want nothing but the best for your sweetheart, and well..."

Evelynn took a surveying glance around the fast-food restaurant they're in before returning her gaze back to Akali, who didn't even let up with her glare. Such didn't even make the siren flinch.

"...this isn't exactly _the_ best place."

"We're only here because of two reasons." Akali said as calmly and coolly as she could. "One, I'm hungry. And two, taking you out is probably the _only_ way of stopping your _exhibitionism_."

Evelynn coyly smiled. "Only for now, darling. Only for now."

Akali quickly leaned away from Evelynn the second the vixen tried giving one of her cheeks a pinch, spinning around to face the counter again the moment she heard someone behind her say that their order was there and ready to be taken.

After meager acts of avoiding Evelynn's touch and finding a table in the restaurant, the amusing pair finally settled at a table for two, which mildly disappointed a particular goddess. Due to the lack of free space in the establishment, she couldn't move her seat to be closer to Akali or even occupy a chair beside the said artist.

"Here." Akali pushed a greasy-looking burger, a fair portion of fries and a plastic cup filled with cola to Evelynn's side of the table before she started eating her own share of the meal.

The magenta-haired beauty eyed the unhealthy food before her with slight distaste, but nonetheless began picking one of the fries up and taking a bite from it. Admittedly, it was nicely crispy and all, but of course she preferred something more _adequate_.

Although this was certainly not the date she was hoping to be taken out on by her grouchy creator, Evelynn was relishing in the fact that she was still, in some way, spending time with Akali.

As long as she's with Akali, she's considered an easy woman to please.

Halfway finishing her fifth piece of fries and still in the middle of contemplating if she should stop being finicky and just take at least a few bites from her burger, Evelynn took notice of a couple two tables away from them.

Despite being able to take nearly every man's, and some from women's, attention in the restaurant, the guy Evelynn was eyeing had all his focus on the girl with him. He happily accepted the french fry his girlfriend was offering to him, taking it from her fingers with his lips and giving a little wink at his date, causing the said female to giggle in return.

As quick as she had done her observation, Evelynn returned her gaze back to Akali, who seemed to be engrossed in her thoughts while she was absently chewing the food she had in her mouth.

In Akali's head, she was trying to think of what she's going to be doing with Evelynn once her holiday vacation finishes and she has yet to kick her out of her apartment. If it does come to that, then she'll have to leave a complete stranger at her own home, which was not the most appealing idea she has ever thought of.

A hasty glance here and there, Akali spotted most of the customers around them kept looking at their table. Judging from where their gaze always landed, she knew it was Evelynn that was captivating their attention. Eventually, she settled on disregarding the stares, admitting to herself that her companion truly was quite a sight to behold.

Too lost in her thoughts, Akali ended up being taken off-guard by the strip of potato being offered to her by the woman across the table. Evelynn had a cool smile on her face as she patiently waited for the food she was giving to be taken.

"...What're you doing?"

"Don't you want it?" Evelynn asked in her usual lighthearted tone, her smile remaining carved on her lips.

Akali blinked at Evelynn, trying to see if this was some sort of joke, but when the food wasn't pulled back, she knew the woman was waiting for her to get it.

A noticeable frown was quick to occupy Evelynn's face the moment Akali took the piece of potato and popped it in her mouth, wordlessly stealing the chance she was hoping on taking.

"Thanks." Came the half-hearted response before Akali refocused her attention back to her food.

"Well, that certainly defeats the purpose I had in mind." Evelynn insouciantly said, shaking her head before she finally yet delicately picked up her burger.

"What purpose?" Akali asked through the portion she had just bitten off from her burger.

Evelynn shook her head, choosing to brush off her little failure and just focus on eating. Her reaction briefly confused Akali and left her clueless towards the plan of romance she had just foiled, but with how the artist just shrugged to herself and returned to her meal, the goddess felt a strong pang in her chest.

Akali obviously didn't desire her company, but she certainly didn't _hate_ it either. The fact that Evelynn was still there and hadn't disappeared to God knows where, then the beauty knew that deep inside, the illustrator wanted her to _exist_.

But Evelynn could feel it.

How the hope of her actually being real flickering, threatening to be extinguished by Akali's refusal in believing she was indeed true.

She had only finished half of her burger before she gave up on her dwindling appetite and just settled on staring off to the side while her creator finished her own lunch.

If Akali didn't believe in her, then maybe the day will come that she'll be desperate and that she'll have to resort to a different method in keeping her strength as goddess.

Just by the thought of such, Evelynn's face twisted in disdain.

She didn't _do_ desperate.

But, a look at Akali and how the artist looked like she would rather do something else rather than be out on a so-called date with her, Evelynn knew she might not have a choice. She sincerely hoped that her odds would change once they finally go to the ice cream parlor.

Maybe asking nicely would work better in her favor.

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

The ice cream shop was surprisingly not as packed as Akali expected it to be. The place still had a handful of booths free to be occupied, which relieved her and at the same time made her a bit anxious.

The more they stayed out of her apartment, the more she was risking being seen with Evelynn by someone she knows from work. She honestly didn't mind it, but it would be a great hassle for her if she was approached by a colleague and be asked who the drawn goddess is.

Not to mention the possibility of a certain man seeing them and assuming they might be in a relationship with one another. There's this guy at her workplace that she has a huge crush on, so she didn't want to mess up her chances with the man by being spotted with Evelynn.

During their trip to the shop, Evelynn had shockingly asked permission if they could hold hands instead of just doing such act all of a sudden. Unfortunately, despite the siren's politely-said request, Akali outright rejected it.

**"No way! That's just, I don't know, weird!"** Was what she said, her gaze leaving Evelynn before she saw the disheartened look that crossed the woman's face. It was only a moment, but the affliction was crystal clear.

Akali's words had _stung_.

Nevertheless, Evelynn didn't let the brazen rejection faze her. She entered the parlor alongside Akali and with an idle smile plastered on her face, which showed how she wouldn't let herself be dragged down by the recent happenings.

"Okay," Akali started, reaching inside her pocket for her wallet. "what ice cream do you want?"

"Just vanilla." Evelynn said before adding, "Oh, and if it's alright, make sure to drown it in hot fudge please."

Akali slightly narrowed her eyes at the other female, somewhat weirded out by how she described what she wanted. Drowning an ice cream with hot fudge was usually how Akali wanted her own dairy treat. Only difference here was the fact that she preferred the flavor of matcha green tea instead of vanilla.

This was all coincidental. As much as she could, she was trying to convince herself with such reasoning, and so far, it's working. At least, she _thinks _it was. It just couldn't be possible that Evelynn also knew how she liked her ice cream.

"Right..." Akali eventually responded back, eyes still a bit squinted at the casually smiling woman.

Once again, when it was their turn to order, the cashier was distracted by Evelynn. Despite the fact that the employee this time was a female, the latter still seemed to be affected by the amber-eyed goddess.

Somewhat thankfully though, the woman was much more aware of her job and was able to take their order from Akali after the artist waved repeatedly in front of her face, not really in the mood of another repeat at the fast-food joint earlier. After accepting their order with a visible blush on her face, the cashier asked them to wait for a moment before turning away and preparing their ice creams.

"The ice cream parlor back home is more extravagant than this."

Akali's gaze whipped from one of the colorful wall decorations to the goddess who abruptly spoke up and voiced out her thoughts. She quirked an eyebrow at Evelynn, admittedly curious in knowing what she meant.

"Home?"

Evelynn nodded, taking her gaze away from one of the booths and redirecting it to her date. "Ionia."

"_You_ live in Ionia?"

"Only because you do."

Akali pushed back a groan, muttering, "I thought for a second you were finally going to tell me something that's actually about yourself."

"You already know everything about me, darling."

"Oh come on, not this again." Akali murmured, sighing. "Can we not do this now? Not in public, please."

Much to Akali's surprise, Evelynn's face contorted confusion. "Why ask me questions you already know the answer of in the first place?"

"What?"

"You _know _me."

"For the hundredth time, no, I _don't_."

"Oh, but the answer is yes, my adorable lover."

"Okay, one, I am _not_ your lover. We are _totally _not _'together-together'_. And wait, you think I'm adorable?" The last part was not only more of a question rather than a declaration, but it also sounded as if it was an afterthought laced with disbelief and embarrassment.

"Akali," Evelynn practically purred her name, and truth be told, Akali was just going to try her hardest in ignoring the tingling sensation that glided over her spine upon hearing such. "how many times must I say it? _You_ made me a goddess. I am who you want me to be."

She stepped back, feeling her back firmly collide against the counter of the cashier, rendering her trapped between the mentioned surface and a very, very, _very _enchanting temptress, who seemed to be unrelenting with her intention in seducing her.

.....

.....

.....

"Okay, can you like," Akali leaned back as much as she could without looking too conspicuous to possible spectators, flimsily gesturing at Evelynn while blushing madly. "_not_ invade my personal space?"

Evelynn smirked and followed after her by simply leaning forward, teasing Akali by hovering her face right in front of the artist's own. "Oh, Akali,"

There it was again. That damned purr of this femme fatale was going to be the death of Akali's flustered heart.

"I think I can invade more than _just _your personal space."

Instead of slipping out of the predicament she was in and just sprint out of there like a headless chicken, Akali found herself staring into those gold eyes, which evidently brightened. They were _glowing_. Literally.

The dim irises now looked like they were flaming bright with some sort of power and the more Akali looked into them, the more her resolve was dissolving into nothing and morphing into this unexplainable yearning to pull Evelynn in for a kiss. She could feel the warm embrace of desire seep into her system like an intense heatwave that threatened to melt her on the spot.

The goddess was _charming _her.

And Akali found herself powerless to resist.

When Evelynn's lips were just an inch or two away from hers, Akali seriously thought she would suddenly have her breath stolen from her literally and figuratively.

But alas, the vixen surprised her when she touched her temple with the tips of two of her fingers and gently pushed her aside. Not only did Akali's body went along with the feeble action, but their locked gazes finally broke away from one another.

She placed a hand on the counter once she stepped to the side, turning her back to Evelynn, who accepted their ice creams from the still flushed employee. Akali brushed some of the hair in front of her face over her head, feeling all of her rationality and reasoning flood back in her head.

The charm was wearing off quite rapidly and no sooner than she expected, Akali found herself staring at Evelynn with a half-incredulous half-dazed look. The siren winked at her, both cups of their creamy treats in her grasp and eyes looking as normal as amber-colored irises can be, before nodding towards one of the vacant booths.

"Come." Was the only thing Evelynn said to her, heading to the described booth with a triumphant smirk playing on her lips.

For at least a second or two, Akali stared right at Evelynn's back, unable to comprehend what had transpired just a mere moment ago. The sensations she was feeling, the lust that had burned within her, the _need_ that compelled her...

"H-Hey!" Akali chased after Evelynn, reaching the goddess just in time to see her slide on the leather seat at one side of the table.

"You should sit, darling." Evelynn invited her, gesturing at the cushioned space across her. "Wouldn't want these delights to go to waste."

Choosing to do so to avoid steering their conversation to a different topic, Akali hurriedly occupied the seat at the other side, her gaze immediately adamantly scrutinizing the woman seated in front of her.

"What the hell was that?" Akali questioned in a hushed yet harsh manner.

"What was what, hmm?" Evelynn asked in an innocent tone, finally placing both cups of ice cream on the table.

"What did you do to me?" She became and sounded more and more indignant with each question she fired at the other.

"Nothing you don't know already, honey." Evelynn cooed teasingly, clearly not seeing how Akali was becoming even more furious with her quips.

"Could you _please _stop that?" Akali wasn't pleading. She was _demanding_. "What. Did. You. Do?"

Akali was getting tired of Evelynn's attitude and advances. She may not have an entirely short fuse, but she didn't have that much patience either. She was the type to be blunt about things, so maybe it was time she showed this goddess how she handles these situations. She swore, if the woman didn't answer her straight now...

Evelynn lightly pushed her ice cream aside, placed her right elbow on the table and rested her chin on her palm, a complacent smile shaping her lips and a cool gaze serving as a response to Akali's harrowing stare.

"Would you believe me if I told you I _charmed_ you?"

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

** _Crash!_ **

Wide amber eyes briefly regarded the ice cream cups that were swept off the table and was now on the floor, which acquired gasps of surprise from other customers, before darting back to the perpetrator's own gaze, azures burning with absolute frustration.

"How many times do you have to play this stupid game with me!?" Akali shouted at Evelynn, completely forgetting about their current location and the fact that they had more than a handful of audience to witness everything that was about to happen.

"Darling, you...-" Evelynn gave a little anxious laugh as she left her pose and tried calming Akali down, but her efforts in doing so were put in an abrupt halt the second the infuriated artist slammed a hand on the table.

"Could you stop that? I'm _not_ your darling, nor am I ever gonna be!" Akali pointed an accusatory finger at Evelynn, causing the woman to become rigid from her place. "Stop treating me as if we have _anything _between us."

Evelynn's eyebrows furrowed slightly, while a deep frown was trying to invade her lips. "Akali, I'm...-"

"Just a woman I met literally a few hours ago? Oh yeah, that's _definitely_ who you are." Akali's face twisted into a look of contempt, one that deeply wounded the goddess more than she would like to admit. "So why the hell am I out here with _you_ of all people?"

"I..." Instead of being self-conscious about the attention their one-sided argument was garnering, for a goddess like Evelynn, she was feeling awfully small and inferior underneath the gaze of scorn she was receiving. Her voice could only fall into a quiet murmur, while her eyes dropped low and somewhere around the table. "I was told that you needed me..."

"Newsflash then, _Evelynn_,"

The woman wanted to wince at how Akali practically spat out her name with so much hate, but her remaining self-preservation was the only thing that held her back from showing such pitiful reaction. With her words acting like a knife, Akali stabbed Evelynn as deep each syllable could cut through.

"I _don't _need you."

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

One tear.

It was one tear.

One damned tear of a goddess was all it took to extinguish Akali's lividity.

The artist, who had been unawarely leaning over the table as she harshly abused Evelynn with her words, widened her eyes in shock. Everything she had done, everything she had _said_, it was registering in her head one by one and she was truly appalled at how she had just snapped at the woman in front of her.

The drop of misery was hurriedly wiped before it could fall past and over her cheek. The siren had fallen absolutely mute, somewhat appearing as if her voice had abandoned her out of fear.

Akali leaned back and straightened her posture as much as she could between the table and her seat, one hand rubbing her face out of shame and guilt.

"I, uhh..." She sucked in a breath, unable to look at Evelynn's, or anyone's, direction, eyes falling down until they were fixated on the table as well. "Evelynn, I'm...-"

"Excuse me." Was the barely audible whisper of the goddess before she promptly slid out of her seat and nimbly walked away from Akali and right out of the parlor.

The whisper sounded so broken. It vastly lacked the confidence and assured tone the goddess' voice seemed to always carry. Hearing such desolation coming from Evelynn felt like a punch in the gut for Akali.

The woman that had walked out on her was supposed to be no one to her, yet she felt like she had just destroyed something, _someone_, that's supposed to be a part of herself.

Immense guilt, regret and utter contrition pooling within her, Akali wanted to slap herself and bang her own head on the table for suddenly blowing up at Evelynn without even an ounce of mercy.

"Hey!" Akali tried calling out despite the blatant fact that Evelynn had already exited the shop. "W-Wait!"

With a hurried and shameful apology to the employees stationed at the cashier for the commotion she had caused, Akali ran out of the ice cream place and tried catching up to the woman she had crudely humiliated.

Not only did she know that her guilt was never going to leave her for the rest of her life if she didn't fix her grave mistake, but she just couldn't get the image of Evelynn shedding a tear she was undeniably not worthy of.

Unfortunately for Akali, when she stepped out of the building, all she saw were unfamiliar faces of passersby and not a single glimpse of magenta hair and amber eyes. The lack of traces of where Evelynn had went off to caused her to grip her hair out of frustration.

"_Kuso_..."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Aaaaahhhh, what am I doing with my babies!? ;~; (I think this is my way in introducing a much confident and feisty Akali)
> 
> Remember when I said I write stories in the spur of the moment, my peeps? Well, here's what my brain told me to type. Amazing, ain't it? (ಥ_ಥ)
> 
> And remember when I said I'll be focusing on my other stories? Yeah, I'm such a stupid liar. I really hate (TOTALLY LOVE) Akalynn fanarts. 〒▽〒
> 
> Just to be clear, yes, Evelynn has, in some way, some minor abilities here. Although I'm still contemplating if I should add her lashers or not (since this story is a Drama/Fantasy/Romance type), the only power of hers that I'm confirming here now is that she has the capability in charming people with her gaze.
> 
> And yes, there will be others similar to Evelynn, and since the third chapter is already in progress, the count I can confirm now are three League characters. Two champions that I don't always include and one that's an absolute favorite of mine. :)
> 
> In other news, I'm sorry for being gone for quite a long while. Moving from one place to another and settling in is quite a hassle, and the struggle of remaining depleted of motivation and inspiration in typing multi-chapter stories isn't really the greatest feeling.
> 
> But anyway, here it is, the much-asked, long-awaited second chapter of "God is a Woman"! ^u^ (Like, my God, guys, you really wanted this second chapter so badly, judging from all the messages I got xD)
> 
> Till my next update~
> 
> (Oh, by the way, is anyone here attending ESGS this October? If there is, then feel free to throw a pitchfork at me for doing this to Akali and Evelynn once you see me at the convention, yeah? xD)


	3. Chapter 3

**ACT 3**

Throat constricting, hands trembling, strength faltering, the magenta-haired woman forced herself to create as much distance as she could possibly make between herself and the ice cream parlor she was just in a minute or two ago.

Her shoulders bumped into strangers, but she didn't utter even a feeble apology. No, she was too focused in keeping herself from collapsing down on the ground. As much as she could, she kept her will as strong as she could manage.

If anyone were to regard her through her exterior, no one would notice how her façade was so close in shattering and unveiling the truth underneath. All the searing pain Akali's words had caused was agonizing, and it made things difficult in keeping the mask up.

The sketch Akali had created was folded and clutched by her right hand, fingers feeling too weak to crumple the paper. Her strength was just enough to keep it from slipping from her clutch, but despite the parchment being as light as a feather, Evelynn felt like it weighed more than a ton.

Her eyes were glassy, but not a single tear escaped its confines. She wouldn't allow it. One was enough for her, and shedding another felt like she was accepting the fact that Akali didn't want her. Thinking of doing such already immensely weakened her, so she refused.

Evelynn was stubborn, and even though Akali had made it oh so clear that she wanted nothing to do with her, she still had enough fire to fight for what she was told to be the truth. Akali desired for her to be real, yet maybe Zilean had overestimated the level of yearning.

How long could the flame of Evelynn's adamant resolve remain lit before it could be excruciatingly snuffed out by Akali herself?

The shirt, hoodie and the winter jacket Akali had lent her weren't providing enough warmth to fend off the coldness that was consuming her with every minute she spent out on the streets. Regardless, her legs, which were also mildly shaking not only because of the gradually depleting strength of hers but also falling victim to the weather's frigid grasp, pushed through and kept her on her feet.

Evelynn had no destination in mind, so it was purely coincidental that she eventually found herself momentarily stopping right in front of one of the main entrances of Valoran Park. It wasn't the exact place where Akali had been approached by Zilean, but it was an entrance still.

Maybe it wasn't a coincidence at all. Who would know, right?

When she was finally able to remove her gaze from the frost-coated archway spelling _'Valoran Park'_ with black metal, Evelynn proceeded down the snow-blanketed stone path, mind too preoccupied to take notice of the passing looks of admiration she received from the people she passed.

Misery was clearly written all over her beautiful face and was even accompanied with the aura of melancholy, yet it was not enough to deter passersby from paying at least a fair amount of attention to the aesthetic appearance she was gifted with.

"Looks like _someone's_ feeling really down." A blithe, masculine voice abruptly said, immediately capturing Evelynn's attention.

Her gaze met lime green eyes through the cool water sprinkling up from the fountain at the center of the park, the carefree look on the blond's face half-hiding the sympathy he was feeling for her. Evelynn knew the man. He was tall, had a lean build and a noticeably impressive jawline. Truth be told, he was a tad bit narcissistic, but he was quite the charmer and a real lovable guy.

He was just like _her_.

"Rakan." Evelynn uttered his name rather quietly, which made it a little surprising that he even heard her.

"Evelynn." The blond grinned back, nodding.

"What're you doing here?" She questioned, remaining rooted on the spot she had stopped on. "Where's Xayah?"

Rakan lightly shrugged, burying his gloved hands in his jacket's pockets. "You let me worry about _my_ lover. We're here for you right now, not me, much to my disappointment."

"We?"

"Yes, we." Was the softly-uttered response of another person, specifically from the one that had unexpectedly joined their conversation.

Evelynn's eyes darted towards a path at her right, where she then found a woman with hair looking as white and majestic as snow, while she possessed pale skin and eyes as blue as the cool color of cerulean.

Another one like her. Like _them_.

"Ashe."

The woman that had been acknowledged offered a small nod, returning the low-volume greeting with a wordless response. Unlike Rakan's fiery, and rather flashy, crimson jacket and light yellow winter pants, Ashe wore a long navy blue coat decorated with gold zippers and buttons, a matching snow hat perched on top of her head completing her outfit.

Ignoring the growing discomfort caused by the gelid state of the weather, Evelynn glanced between her two fellow creations. All three of them were, for lack of a better term, _products_ of the imagination of three different individuals. It was rare for a handful of them to intentionally rendezvous in a single location.

Somehow, even though the pair's presence was already questionable, Evelynn still felt like _someone_ was missing. There was going to be a fourth member in this unforeseen get-together, she just knew it.

"If you're wondering," Ashe began, briefly glancing at the people that were shockingly able to disregard their eye-catching appeals as she and Rakan approached Evelynn. "yes, there's still another."

Evelynn would've been startled by how the other woman had seemed to interpret her thoughts correctly, but she wasn't exactly the most normal female that walked on the face of the Earth.

"Who?"

As if they had rehearsed it, both Ashe and Rakan nodded to Evelynn's left, where she then found a woman with tanned skin and short dark tresses that seemed to be in the middle of the shades of black and brown. On either side of her head, there was a fair part of hair found at the front of her face decorated with unique-looking red accessories outlined by what looks to be gold. Not to mention the eyeliner she was wearing, which vividly emphasized her tremendous light violet eyes.

It was considerably surprising that the people around them seemed to be acting as if they didn't exist. Of course this was most probably a doing by either Zilean, or someone in the same category as the seemingly plain old man, to at least give them a form of privacy to discuss whatever it was that required them to gather in one place.

Instead of greeting the third newcomer, Evelynn flicked her attention between the three approaching her. Although it was admittedly nice to be around people she was familiar with, she wasn't overly fond of the possible reasons why they were there initially, especially since they had their respective lovers to spend the merry holiday with.

"What're you all doing here?" Evelynn was now sure luck wasn't the reason why she ended up at Valoran Park. She eyed each member of the trio with mild caution, her nerves tensing within her weakened body.

"It's quite nice to be greeted ever so politely." The third woman nonchalantly said, not at all taking offense for Evelynn's lack of acknowledgment.

"Evelynn loves you, Karma. Don't worry 'bout it." Rakan sprightly reassured, earning a small chuckle from the said woman.

"We're here because you seem to need a bit of guidance." Ashe chose to answer Evelynn's question, placing a hand on the siren's right shoulder.

Evelynn turned her gaze away from Ashe, shrugging her hand off. She half-heartedly scoffed as she bitterly asked, "And who told any of you that I needed such?"

"Braum." Rakan and Ashe replied in perfect unison as they both stopped at Evelynn's left, while Karma said, "Zilean."

The urge to flinch at the mention of the names who had brought them to life was suppressed, while Evelynn's hold on her sketch twitched. A soft sigh left her lips before she raised her eyes again, this time glancing between the one she hadn't properly greeted, the only man in their unusual group and the woman that she denied the gesture of comfort from.

"None of you should have bothered with my predicament." Evelynn said, the pain in her voice too clear to be masked by the snark she tried displaying.

"And none of _us_ should be bothered by heartbreak in the first place." Rakan swiftly added to her statement, crossing his arms and shooting her a little look that he tried passing off as reprimanding. "Most especially not with today being Christmas."

"Oh what could a preposterous holiday do for me?" She once again questioned the three, mostly directing her words at Rakan, whose open smile was replaced by a frown. "Oh, I know, heartache and misery."

While Karma and Ashe regarded Evelynn with a gaze that made it obvious how they're both contemplating in how they'll be able to convince her to open up to them, Rakan ended up with nothing but a sympathetic expression yet again.

"I know it's quite a struggle to be rejected by your lover...-" Karma's words were cut off by another scoff from Evelynn, which was also partnered with a glare.

"You don't reserve the right to say _that_, Karma. We all know Lee welcomed you into his life without much question."

Karma parted her lips to deny, but she relented and ended up sighing in defeat. Evelynn had a point, so in some way, she was not the one that's capable in guiding the dejected goddess.

"Okay, alright, maybe Karma can't really say what she said, but Ashe and I can." Rakan interjected as smoothly as he could. "Xayah _hated_ my guts from the very start, but where are we now? Yeah, we live in one apartment together. It's a bit shitty, but yeah, it's something we call _ours_."

The blond charmer then gestured at Ashe, who quirked an eyebrow at him and patiently waited for his description of her love life, her footing shifting to halfway face the rather lively man.

"And I'm sure you know about Ashe's dilemma with Katarina in the past. She was her side-chick for what? Three months?"

Ashe faked a cough, while Karma half-heartedly rolled her eyes.

"Don't exaggerate, dear. It was only one." Karma smoothly corrected, clearly understanding what the feigned cough Ashe gave meant.

"Well, whatever! The point here is that, look at me and her." Rakan gestured at himself and the white-haired woman. "Both of us didn't start great either. Xayah _really _hated me, Katarina _only_ lusted for Ashe initially, but hey, our relationships are going _great_ now."

"Rakan, I don't think you're helping." Ashe murmured, catching sight of how Evelynn was now giving the loud blond a sharp gaze.

"What I'm _trying_ to say here is that it all starts badly." Rakan finally threw out his point. "They hate you, they don't love you, blah-blah-blah, but in the end they'll realize it."

"Realize what exactly?" Evelynn somewhat grunted out, face morphing in a scowl and looking distinctly unconvinced.

"Realize that it's us who they've been looking for this entire time." Rakan then placed both of his hands on her shoulders, grinning. "That it's _you_ Akali needs."

"That's... actually a very good point." Ashe admitted, while Karma nodded in agreement.

"See? Told you two I can make a great case if I wanted to." Rakan somewhat boasted, doing a gesture of polishing his knuckles on his coat and softly blowing on it for additional effect.

As the two women seemingly commended Rakan for his efforts in making a sensible point for Evelynn, the said goddess was busy in mulling over the details that were laid out for her to see. Thankfully, the trio gave her some time for herself to actually think all of it through.

.....

.....

.....!

Evelynn softly gasped, and it was certainly not because of Rakan's very encouraging speech. A small rush ran up her spine, which eventually spread throughout her body, filling it with enough vim for her to feel more alive rather than like some machine running on fumes.

Akali was looking for her. She could feel it.

The increasing desire to find her, and maybe apologize to what she had done, it was a welcomed sensation Evelynn had been longing for. Holding onto her sketch was the only thing keeping her alive earlier, but now, Akali was giving her the strength she had lost after the incident at the ice cream shop.

Evelynn was only reeled back to the present when Ashe swiftly swiped the parchment she had in hand, raising it up to their eye level to further punctuate whatever point she was going to say.

"Try not to rely on this too much."

Evelynn frowned, her complete feel of relief somewhat short-lived due to the small interruption. "In case you didn't notice, I didn't exactly have a choice."

"Regardless," Ashe slipped the paper into one of the front pockets of Evelynn's jacket. "Akali made you a goddess, didn't she?"

"What does that have to do with this?"

"A god," Karma spoke up again, rejoining the conversation. "or at least in your case, a goddess, has followers."

"Believers, worshippers, the works." Rakan listed out, which prompted the two other women to nod.

"If you can't have Akali's truest belief towards your existence, then you can always make a believer out of someone else." Karma explained.

"And it's not exactly limited to one." Ashe added, following up with a light shrug and, "Or two."

"Or more." Rakan piped in, winking.

"Are you three implying that I should start my own religion?" Evelynn asked with sarcasm and disbelief mixed along with her tone.

"That's actually not a bad idea." Rakan off-handedly agreed, earning one pinch each on both his sides from their two companions. "_Ow!_"

"As ridiculous as he had worded it, it's somehow like that." Ashe reluctantly concurred. "If ever you and Akali experience _this_ bad of a conflict again, then you won't have to worry about your lifeline anymore."

"A deity cannot be forgotten if she is remembered and acknowledged by at least _one_ person." Karma stated, raising a finger for further emphasis. "Although the belief of random strangers isn't what you're seeking for, it can still save you from suffering the fear, or the possibility itself, of non-existence."

"A back-up, then."

"More like a safety-net, but yes, you could also call it that."

"Is that what you two had done?" Evelynn queried, eyeing Rakan and Ashe.

"Ehhh, I actually just bugged Xayah until some freak accident happened, which I _heroically_, if I may say, saved her from. From then on, she gave me a chance and well, we got together eventually."

"What about you?" This time, those amber-colored eyes directed to Ashe.

"My situation was... different." Ashe started, lightly shrugging. "Katarina didn't exactly value me as much as she was expected to, so in order for me to put a stop to my disappearance, I... befriended someone."

"More like seduced someone." Rakan muttered rather cheekily, earning a sharp elbow in the side from Karma. "_Ow!_"

"More or less, I had something to hold onto other than hope for my creator's attention." Ashe said dismissively. "It's the reason why Karma and I are suggesting this idea to you now."

Nodding once, Evelynn's gaze wandered back down to the ground, her head filling up with possible approaches in performing the given recommendation. Only when a strong breeze brushed over her back and made her lightly shudder did she lift her head back up again, but before she could bring the three back in her line of sight, a couple of unexpected turn of events transpired.

The white scarf Karma was wearing was gently wound around her neck, the red and yellow gloves Rakan had was now being slipped on her own hands and lastly, Ashe's blue snow hat ended up being securely perched over her head.

Evelynn had just finished adjusting the fit of those three accessories on her when she refocused her gaze back to her companions, only to find their backs facing her. They were going their separate ways, more than just five steps away from her already.

While Rakan flashed her a thumbs up and spared a wink over his shoulder as a form of boost and farewell, Karma and Ashe settled on presenting their own versions of a smile that bid her good luck. The more they became far from one another, the more the people started to notice their enthralling features once again.

"Thank you."

Even though Evelynn merely told her thanks in a murmur only she herself heard, she knew that the others didn't need to hear it to actually know how she was grateful for their advice and their provision of motivation.

Turning around and walking down her own marked path, Evelynn found herself instilled with a renewed drive in improving her relationship with Akali. She may not be able to immediately coax the artist to share a romantically intimate moment with her, but maybe, just maybe, they could gradually develop into something more than what they are at the moment.

Meanwhile, back with a particular blue-eyed female...

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit..."

The same cuss was repeated over and over again by the illustrator that sounded like a broken record. It's been more than an hour ever since she had searched the places where Evelynn could have run off to.

Sure, Akali was probably supposed to be happy that she finally got rid of the woman that had shockingly gotten inside her apartment in the morning, but she couldn't bring herself to accept the fact that she did so in a horrible manner.

If finding Evelynn and sincerely apologizing to her would bring her back home, as long as Akali was gifted the forgiveness she was hoping to receive, then the artist was absolutely willing to open her apartment to the goddess. She felt like it was the least she could now, especially with how awful she had treated her earlier. Friend or not, that was not the appropriate way to handle their situation.

Throughout her search though, her efforts seemed to be futile. The only things she had seen that were somewhat worth mentioning was the good-looking blond man waiting at a bus stop, the lovely, short-haired woman that had been crossing the street and the stunning, pale-skinned lady she had nearly bumped into on her way to her apartment.

Despite the three mentioned strangers possessing sightly appearances, none of them came close to Evelynn's beauty. Not in Akali's eyes, at least. The siren had a different allure that reeled her in like a magnet.

She denied the said pull though. With a lot of effort, too.

Akali was honestly freaked out by Evelynn's eyes and what they seemed to be capable of, but she couldn't fully focus about that specific detail due to the growing need to find the mentioned vixen. She really was guilty of how she responded towards the way Evelynn was seducing her with an incomprehensible ability she didn't know of until she was under the influence of said power.

Feeling like she was being tricked without any shame at all, Akali had overreacted and caused an unnecessary scene no one should've been involved in. It was not only Evelynn's provocation, but also Akali's lack of control over her anger. She still knew her reason wasn't enough to snap at the siren.

The sun was already setting by the time Akali turned around the corner leading to the street where her apartment building can be located at. What she didn't exactly expect to see though was the woman she's been searching for standing at the bottom of the steps of the structure's entrance, hands buried in her pockets and shoulders slightly hunched to keep herself as warm as she could manage in such an unforgiving weather.

"Evelynn..."

At first Akali wanted to run towards the magenta-haired female, but with the sidewalk being decorated with an extremely thin layer of ice, she decided that she valued her body and wouldn't want to slip on ice, which of course prompted her in approaching Evelynn in the manner of race-walking.

The more she vanquished the distance between them, the more the oblivious woman's features became pronounced in Akali's sense of sight. The goddess' profile was as beguiling as the frontal view, and even with their difference in body measurements and the clothing's naturally baggy look, she could still spy the distinct curves of the siren's gorgeous figure.

Instead of greeting the woman like Akali expected herself to do, the moment she stopped right beside Evelynn and met her amber-hued gaze, she felt her words get caught. Earlier, those eyes had this heart-wrenching look, the memory of that image in particular causing Akali to swallow the guilt clogging her throat so suddenly.

The guilt-inducing gleam was now gone though. It was replaced with a clear view of hope, fondness and joy in seeing her again. Their last interaction wasn't exactly the most friendly, which made Akali feel even more shameful upon receiving such a warm look as a greeting from the woman she had shouted at.

"Let's, uh," Akali cleared her throat and nodded her head to the building's entrance. "go inside."

"Alright." Was the only thing Evelynn said, trailing after Akali as she climbed up the slightly slippery steps.

During their short trip up to her apartment unit, Akali became aware of the three additions to the attire she had lent Evelynn. All three didn't really match the outfit's theme, but despite the whole set being a little tacky, the goddess seemed to be pulling it off quite well.

She thought about asking where Evelynn had obtained them, but she ended up pushing the idea away. That wasn't the greatest way to start a conversation, especially with the issue still present between them.

It was nearing evening already, so not only did Akali needed to bring out one of her pillows and some spare sheets and blanket for Evelynn, but she also needed to cook them some dinner soon. Would Evelynn mind having spicy ramyun for tonight's meal?

"Evelynn...-"

"Akali...-"

The two pursed their lips together, the artist's cheeks reddening while the goddess averted her gaze from her creator. The awkwardness swallowed the pair whole for at least a couple of minutes before Akali loudly sighed and chose to speak first.

"Listen, Evelynn, I'm..." Akali rubbed her nape, while she refused to look at the woman and meet her stare. "What happened earlier, the shouting I did, it was really..."

"I deserved it."

Akali's eyes widened, head snapping upward and gaze engaging eye contact with Evelynn. "What? No, you didn't! No one deserves that kind of treatment."

"No one but me." Evelynn coolly replied, a look of what seemed to be understanding taking place in her eyes. "I used an ability of mine onto you without your permission, so your reaction wasn't entirely uncalled for."

"That still doesn't excuse what I did. I made you cry and, um, well..." Akali muttered, shoulders hunching and a darker shade of redness spreading across her cheeks. "...I feel really bad."

Akali wasn't the type to put herself in these types of circumstances, so she wasn't used to apologizing and putting herself on the spot. The image of Evelynn and that crystal clear tear that's been haunting her for the past few hours, was really killing Akali, so sincerely saying sorry was more than worth the embarrassment.

"Nonsense!" Came a laugh-like reply, which was also accompanied with a wave of dismissal. "I was the one at fault, so I should be the one apologizing."

"I don't think you understand where I'm coming from here."

Evelynn raised an eyebrow at her. "I know you're only doing this because you're feeling guilty."

Akali winced. Well, that was blunt. She hunched her shoulders even more, somewhat regretting that she had taken off her coat already and was left feeling too exposed in her sweater.

"Guilty or not, I'm still sorry. You of all people deserve at least a meaningful apology." Akali sucked in a breath, tucked her arms in front of her and bowed deeply. "_Gomenasai_, Evelynn."

In front of Akali, Evelynn stared back with wide eyes of her own. Out of all things that could've happened, she didn't expect the artist to just bow down to her like she was doing now. Although, Evelynn probably should have expected it, knowing how Akali was raised by her family.

No one knew Akali better than her, right?

"Well, as your goddess, I...-"

"I don't want you to forgive me because of _that_." Akali cut off, straightening her posture again. She looked directly into Evelynn's eyes, slightly startling the other with her stare. "I want you to forgive me as Evelynn, the woman I treated awfully earlier."

"But...-"

"And creator or not or whatever, I'm saying sorry as someone who humiliated you and is now feeling real shitty because of it. I really do regret everything I said,"

"Akali, it's...-"

"so I'm really hoping you'd accept my so...-"

Evelynn had heard enough and was feeling an extreme need to put an end on the artist's long and disorganized yet true apology. It's not that she didn't appreciate it or anything, but it was mainly because she'd rather move past what had happened and maybe proceed to whatever awaits them in the future.

Therefore, Akali didn't finish her apology.

She wasn't allowed to.

Akali could hear her heart suddenly beating in her ears like a wild drum being pounded dramatically, sounding as if her current company could hear it. Eyes once again widening in shock, body becoming frozen solid like a statue and words vanishing from her mind, the illustrator was rendered immobile by the woman that stood before.

The same woman that had their lips delicately placed over Akali's forehead.

While the artist looked absolutely close in screaming, melting and fainting all at the same time, Evelynn was the epitome of coolness and composure as she completely focused her mind in savouring the warmth of the gesture she was performing.

Although Akali didn't sputter and stumble with what she had in mind in saying, it was only because she was too speechless to even utter a single syllable once the unexpected kiss came to an end. An end that she refused to admit she hoped in not existing.

Right in front of her, as in _directly_ in front of her very own face, Evelynn gently smiled before pulling her in and hugging her tightly. It wasn't awkward, nor uncomfortable, like she expected how an embrace of a stranger would feel. No, it was like a tender solace she knew she had a huge chance in missing once it was gone.

"I forgive you."

"You... You do?" Akali managed to get out, still denying the fact that a part of herself was relishing the soothing warmth Evelynn's embrace provided.

"Mm-hm, I do." Evelynn murmured, eyes drifting close and arms slightly tightening her hold around Akali, whose blush threatened to worsen.

"It can't be that easy, right?" Akali asked as she forced herself to ignore the inner desire of her heart and gently started to pry herself away. Surprisingly, Evelynn released her without an ounce of a struggle.

"You apologized, I forgave you. It's done." Evelynn simply stated, the soft smile on her lips threatening to make Akali's heart flutter.

"I still feel like I should make it up to you."

"Are you letting me decide?"

Akali cleared her throat, while she tried her best to tone her blush of embarrassment down a notch. "As long as it's reasonable, I guess."

"If that's the case," Evelynn tucked her arms behind her and offered a small and open smile. "then will you let me stay here with you?"

"For how long?"

"It would be rather weird if I say as long as you live, wouldn't it?"

"...It's already weird."

Evelynn chuckled. "Alright, fine. Let me stay here with you until I get the financial means to move out."

"There's a vacant unit across the hall actually." As soon as Akali uttered her suggestion, she was immediately overcome by the urge to slap herself. What the hell was she doing? Her encouragement came out of nowhere, and she herself was shocked that she even told Evelynn about the unoccupied space next-door.

Judging from Evelynn's brightened expression though, the siren was clearly pleased with her idea. "Oh, yes, that'd be a delightful choice."

"Y-Yeah..."

"Alright then, my temporary roommate," Evelynn started. "what will we be having for dinner?"

"Uhh..." Akali scratched the back of her head, already feeling embarassed with what she's about to offer. "Spicy ramyun...?"

"Quite an exquisite choice for our evening meal."

"Okay, I know, it sucks that we'll only be having instant noodles as our Christmas dinner. Can you at least tone the sarcasm down a bit?"

A soft titter. "Would you like some help in the kitchen?"

"No thanks." Akali said as she started towards the kitchen, feeling a bit embarrassed that she'll only be serving such a mediocre treat for the supposedly special holiday. "I think I'm perfectly capable in boiling water by myself."

"Careful not to burn yourself."

"Right..."

After getting out everything that was necessary to prepare her favorite noodles, Akali was left to put the pot on the stove, where she began to boil the water she had mentioned earlier.

Her attention was taken away from the simmering water once she heard the television turn on. Raising her head, she found Evelynn surfing through the channels while situated on one of the couches, probably searching for something entertaining to watch.

"What're you looking for?" Akali asked from her place at the kitchen area.

"I honestly don't know." Evelynn admitted with a little laugh. "All the shows being aired are all about family reunions and Christmas miracles."

"Well, it _is_ Christmas." Akali pointed out, ripping the packs of ramyun open. After hearing hum as a form of response, the artist lifted her gaze again, but this time it landed on the scarf, gloves and hat neatly folded and piled on the coffee table. "Hey,"

"Yes?" Came the other's reply, most of her attention still focused on the television.

"where'd you get those stuff?"

"What stuff?"

"The scarf, the gloves..." Akali briefly gesture at her own head. "...the hat?"

"Oh, those." Evelynn glanced at the accessories before looking over her shoulder and to Akali. "Some of my... _friends_ gave them to me."

"Friends?"

"Yes, friends."

"You have friends?"

Evelynn quirked an eyebrow. "Is it that hard to believe?"

Akali winced, face lightly coloring. "'Course not. Was just curious."

"Let me guess," Evelynn shifted from her place on the couch, placing her hands on top of the backrest and perching her chin over them. "you're wondering why I'm staying with you instead of them?"

"There's that, I guess."

"Unlike you, sweetness, they have their lovers waiting for them at home."

Akali flinched visibly, not knowing if she was going to be flattered by the nickname or be affected by the statement. "Thanks for rubbing it in my face that I'm single."

Evelynn sweetly smiled, her teasing tendencies returning. "You're welcome."

The conversation could have ended there and Akali could have just resumed in cooking the noodles and letting Evelynn get back to channel-surfing, but her curiosity got the best of her. She sighed and quietly cursed herself, knowing she'll probably regret what she's about to bring up.

As much as she probably shouldn't do what she's intending on doing, she knew they had to get _everything_ out of the way and be more open to each other, especially if Evelynn really was going to be her temporary roommate.

"Hey, Evelynn?"

"Hmm?" It was surprising for her how Evelynn was still looking at her over the backrest, seemingly waiting for her and expecting to hear whatever it was she wanted to discuss.

"If you really are someone that I, as you said, _created_, are you like some sort of...-"

Evelynn made a face, cutting Akali off with, "No, darling, I'm not a Christmas miracle."

Akali let out a breath. "Oh."

"It's just a mere coincidence that I was given to you on the exact date of this holiday."

"Given?"

Evelynn lightly sighed, pressing her cheek against her palm. "Akali, honey, how about you finish cooking our dinner, so we could finally talk about whatever's on your mind without any interruptions?"

"Fine." Akali forfeited, refocusing her attention back to their evening meal.

Few minutes later, Akali placed two bowls of ramyun and two glasses of water on the coffee table, feeling a bit proud of herself when Evelynn hummed in delight at the savory aroma. Once she gave Evelynn her own set of chopsticks, the two of them started eating.

Of course slurping it all up would've been a more _accurate_ term in describing Akali's method of devouring.

The goddess let the blue-eyed female consume half of her bowl of noodles first before she chose to resume the conversation she promised they'll continue for tonight.

"I know you have questions about me and I suppose the things I tried doing to you weren't precisely the most normal and reasonable," Evelynn truthfully told Akali. "which is why I'm giving you the freedom in asking me anything you want to know about where I came from, why I'm here and whatever else you can think of."

Akali blinked at Evelynn for a fairly long moment, noodles hanging from her lips and looking nothing like the dashing illustrator the vixen usually sees. Realizing her predicament, Akali quickly slurped her the noodles in and chewed hurriedly, swallowing immediately after.

"Okay," Akali began after drinking at least half of the contents of her glass. "by anything, do you really mean _anything_ I want to ask?"

Evelynn nodded. "Anything."

"You sure?"

"Even if you ask me what my bust size is, I would _gladly_ answer."

"N-No thanks." Akali declined a bit bashfully, cheeks regaining a light pink hue yet again. "Alright, umm, so you promise that whatever you say is the truth?"

A nod.

"Okay then, your name is...?"

"Evelynn."

"Evelynn what?"

"Just Evelynn."

"No family name?"

The woman shook her head. "None."

"Why?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Akali hesitated, but it was only for a brief moment. "Yeah, I do."

"Alright." Evelynn straightened her posture a little, also arranging her hold on her bowl. "I have no family name because _you_ didn't give me one."

"...Seriously?"

"Now, now, I know how idiotic that may sound, but like it or not, it's the truth."

"So if I tell you your last name is, let's say _'Buttface'_, your name will be _Evelynn Buttface_?"

Evelynn's right eye twitched. "Much to my _absolute_ distaste towards it, yes, it will be."

Akali pursed her lips, feeling a bit childish when she found herself withholding her laughter. She placed her bowl down on the table, focusing most of her strength in keeping her snickering as mute as she could.

Clearly, she was failing.

"Might as well call me an asshole while you're at it." Evelynn flatly suggested, unamused at her immaturity.

.....

.....

.....

Evelynn loudly sighed, also abandoning her bowl of ramyun on the table before gesturing and saying, "Just laugh it out."

"Pfffft...-BAHAHAHAHA!"

Akali fell back on the sofa, practically guffawing as she held her sides. Tears of joy pooled at the corners of her eyes as she laughed at the utterly ridiculous example of a name for the woman seated across her, who looked entirely displeased with the supposedly humorous last name.

"Evelynn Buttface! HAHAHAHA!" Akali wheezed out, taking her sweet time in laughing at her own joke.

"...It's not even hilarious."

"It so is!"

"No, it isn't."

"It'd be the biggest joke if that really will be your name!"

Evelynn frowned, but her expression soon morphed into a somewhat pleading look. "Please tell me you're not at all serious in giving me such a... _preposterous_ last name."

"Okay, okay..." Akali gradually calmed down, wiping the tears caused by her laughter away with her fingers. She reassummed her position on the couch earlier, coughing and clearing her throat a bit as she composed herself. "Fine, let's just leave your name as _'Evelynn'_ for now."

"Much appreciated."

Akali cleared her throat for the umpteenth time before asking, "I want to know who created you."

Evelynn raised an eyebrow at her.

"And I mean the one that literally gave you life. Made you, well, real." Akali clarified. "You've already made it clear that you're the one in my drawing, so if I designed you, then who _created_ you?"

"Zilean."

"Zilean?"

"Mm-hm."

"As in, you're alive because of him?"

"Because of his ability, yes."

Akali leaned in, a gesture Evelynn copied just to hear whatever it was she asked in a quiet murmur. "...Is he Santa Claus?"

.....

.....

.....

"Ow! Ow! Ow!"

Evelynn sweetly smiled at Akali as she pinched the artist's ear, her fine nails digging quite painfully. "I told you, didn't I? I am _not_ a Christmas miracle."

"Okay, okay, okay! _Oww!_" Akali reacted with a low hiss, squirming visibly in pain. "What the hell's wrong with being a Christmas miracle anyway?"

"Many things."

Akali reeled back immediately the second Evelynn released her right ear, her hands coming up to gently massage the soreness away. She eyed the woman with a small pout as she asked, "What's so bad about it?"

"Well, mainly, as someone who was given in Christmas and has a name literally with the word _'Eve'_ in it," Evelynn motioned with her hand as if her reasoning made absolutely perfect sense. "it's like an ironic coincidence."

"I... never thought about that."

"Of course you didn't."

"No, no, I'm serious here. I literally just thought that Zilean was Santa Claus because of, y'know, how he looks."

Sighing and half-heartedly rolling her eyes, Evelynn sarcastically said, "Put an old man in a red and white Santa suit and add a beard into the mix, and suddenly, it's Santa Claus."

"Oh come on, you know where I'm coming from with my assumption."

"Doesn't mean I concur with it."

Akali huffed. "Point taken."

Surprisingly, her conversation with Evelynn was going quite well. There weren't any awkward moments and she felt even more at ease around the woman, especially since the latter wasn't just jumping at her and attempting to sleep with her at the first chance she could get. All in all, everything felt light and warm.

"Anything else you'd like to ask?" Evelynn inquired, patiently waiting for Akali to ask her more questions.

"Uhh..." Akali tapped her chin for a couple of times in contemplation before she perked up and asked, "If Zilean gave you life after I drew you, then does that mean there might be others out there? Other like you?"

"There _are_ others like me."

Akali's eyes widened at that. "Really?"

Did that mean she wasn't the only one that freaked out because a person from their imagination came alive? Somehow, knowing such fact gave Akali a huge wave of relief. Maybe she wasn't really cuckoo after all.

"I met some of them earlier." Evelynn admitted, recalling her unexpected meeting with a particular trio. "The _Eternals_ sent them."

"Eternals?"

"It's what we call beings like Zilean."

"Oh." Akali responded and nodded rather dumbly. "There's more like him?"

"Yes, but you won't find them." Evelynn answered. "You're already lucky enough to encounter an _Eternal_ once in your lifetime. Most people don't."

"So it's these _Eternals_ that decide whose wish could come true and whose can't?"

"It's not just a little wish, and it's never that simple." Evelynn clarified with a serious look. "The reason is always deeper than anyone would assume."

"If people like Zilean are called _Eternals_, then what do they call people like you?"

Evelynn leaned back, taking her bowl of ramyun back in her hands and stirring the contents with her chopsticks. "It depends, honestly. A creation, a gift, a product, a _beautiful_ innovation, it depends on what our creator deems us."

"It depends on... me?"

"You can even see me as a curse." Evelynn nonchalantly offered. "A problem you just want to rid yourself of."

Akali frowned, while guilt crossed her face. "I really am sorry about what I did."

"I'm not trying to guilt you into anything if that's what you're thinking right now." Evelynn clarified with a soft look. "I'm merely answering your question."

"Listen. I know I didn't exactly... accept you at first, but can you at least give me another chance? I was honestly just surprised that you, out of all the things I've drawn, came to life." Akali then mildly blushed, murmuring, "That, and you really came onto me _real_ strong."

Evelynn tenderly smiled. "The chance is yours, darling. I myself am sorry about how I caused you discomfort."

"No, no, it's fine. I mean..." Akali shifted from her place, retaking her own bowl of noodles. "Everything's okay now, right?"

"Mm-hm."

Their conversation faded after, both women falling in a comfortable moment of silence, which easily passed as they took it as an opportunity to resume eating their evening meal. Whenever Akali's gaze would wander to Evelynn though, she'd always get caught and end up receiving a little smile, which never failed to make her flush with a light shade of red.

"Can I ask about your friends?" Akali queried out of curiosity, her bowl of ramyun so close in being emptied.

"What about them?"

"You said they have lovers, right?"

"The three that I recently met, yes."

"Others aren't in a relationship?"

"People don't always ask for a person whenever they're approached and gifted by an _Eternal_." Evelynn explained. "For example, there's this child a couple of months ago that asked for a companion. A dog, to be specific."

"Oh, so it's not completely limited."

"Mm-hm."

"The ones that you met up with, they're from around here?"

"There are honestly a handful of people here that have been as lucky as you."

"Did Zilean approach all of them here?"

"Not all, but some, yes."

"Would you know if you're facing someone like you?"

"I would." Evelynn proudly replied, her smile adding quite an effect to her response. "It's an aspect that comes naturally to me and my fellow creations. Call it instinct, or so, but we already know each other even before we came to life."

"Because of what I did earlier," Akali asked, fiddling with her chopsticks and swirling the broth within her bowl. "is that why they met up with you?"

Evelynn shrugged. "I honestly didn't expect to cross paths with them, but apparently, the _Eternals_ decided that I needed to speak with creations like me."

Akali slightly pouted. "Did... Did I really hurt you that bad?"

"Don't think too much about that issue anymore. It's water under the bridge." Evelynn reassured. "At least I was given some advice by my fellow creations."

"Advice?"

"Yes, advice. One that would greatly help me in the future, as they said."

"Oh, well, that's really nice of them."

"It was."

"So, uhh..." Akali scratched the back of her head. "Can you tell me all about them?"

Again, Evelynn shrugged. "What do you want to know?"

"How your friends came to be, I guess?"

"Well," Evelynn rubbed her chin as she thought about the three she had spoken with. "Karma came to be a few weeks after Lee Sin was released from the hospital. He was frustrated in losing his sense of vision and when he crossed paths with Zilean by some miracle...-"

"He asked him to describe Karma, didn't he?"

Evelynn nodded, gesturing at her sides as she said, "And that's how Karma came to be."

"And he let her enter his life just like that?"

"I'm not being mean or anything, but it might be because Lee Sin didn't exactly see a naked woman walking around his apartment."

The yawn that was supposed to leave Akali was replaced by the blush that crept up her cheeks, reddening them yet again. "Y-Yeah, it was probably that."

Chuckling, Evelynn asked, "Would you like me to proceed to the next person?"

Silently, Akali nodded, interest still piqued.

"Rakan is another creation like me. He's a carefree type of person and is rather energetic. Too energetic, if you ask me." Evelynn stated, lightheartedly rolling her eyes at the thought of the blond. "His creator, Xayah, was this rebellious, runaway that wanted nothing to do with him after she had spoken to Braum on her way to her apartment."

"Is Braum another _Eternal_?"

Evelynn nodded. "He is."

"Thought he was another pimp or something." Akali couldn't help but quip, remembering how she had once referred to Zilean as some sort of perverted old man involved in some shady business.

"Do you really want _Divine Judgment_ to strike you where you stand?"

The moment she heard Evelynn's exasperated question, Akali hurriedly made a zipping motion across her lips, wordlessly telling the siren that she wasn't going to mock the _Eternals_ any more than she had. She may not believe the _Eternals_ existence _completely_, but the possibility of them _actually_ existing and absolutely able to smite her anywhere she could be was enough to halt her attempts of mockery.

"Long story short, it was less than two weeks when an accident happened and Xayah nearly died from it, but of course because of Rakan, they're now living happily ever after."

"You sound bitter about them."

"I'm not." Evelynn muttered. "He just often gloats about how he was such a hero that time."

"Ah." Akali was just about to ask about the third person when she wad suddenly taken over by a yawn, which earned her a mildly amused look from the other female. "What about...-"

"I think Ashe's story can be told in another time." Evelynn said, placing her more than half-eaten bowl of ramyun on the table. "You look like you need some rest."

"No, no, I'm not tired at all."

"You can probably fool anyone, darling, but I am will _not_ be one of them."

"But I still want to talk about what you're capable of!"

Evelynn sighed. "We can continue this tomorrow if you truly want to know."

"You sure?"

"You have my word."

"Okay, fine." Akali gave up, briefly making a face before she finally decided to start cleaning up for the night.

"I'll handle the dishes. Go take a quick shower, so you can sleep."

"Wait, I'll get you some stuff first."

While Evelynn got up first and gathered the bowls, Akali went to her bedroom and started rummaging through her closet for some sheets. Once she acquired the things she needed for Evelynn, she snatched one of her pillows from her bed and finally went back to the living room.

"I don't exactly have a sofa-bed, so maybe this one will do?" Akali asked Evelynn, gesturing at the three-seater couch.

"That's perfectly fine." The magenta-haired woman replied, smiling over her shoulder before returning her gaze back to the bowls and some other dishes Akali had left from yesterday's lunch.

Akali placed the sheets and pillow on one of the loveseats, taking the comforter to place over the sofa Evelynn will be sleeping on. Once most of it was covered, she took the pillow and brushed off any possible dust it might be covered with before placing it on one of the couch.

"This blanket here's for you." Akali said, presenting a dark green fleece blanket to the siren before placing it over the pillow. "I'll go see if I have some more clothes that could fit you for tonight."

"That would be much appreciated, thank you."

"We can probably go shop for some clothes for you tomorrow."

"Won't you be buying that gaming console you had been eyeing for the past few months?"

Akali momentarily froze, sighing as she scratched the back of her head. "Right, of course you know about that, uhh..."

"...I spooked you again, haven't I?"

"By saying stuff that no one's supposed to know but myself? Yeah, pretty much." Akali feigned a cough as she shifted from her place. "If you really are what and who you say you are, then I guess I should start getting used to it."

"I appreciate your trust, darling. Truly, I do."

"As for the console, I guess it could wait." Akali said in a quiet mumble.

Evelynn's face became visibly concerned, making it quite obvious how she wasn't in favor of the artist's decision. "You've wanted to buy it ever since it was released."

"Yeah, but it's more important to buy you some clothes and stuff first."

"But, darling..."

"Hey, it's no big deal." Akali shrugged, convincingly appearing nonchalant about the little issue. "Don't worry 'bout it."

No matter how much she would try to lie, Akali would always fail in hiding the truth from Evelynn. It was a given trait the moment the woman shifted from a mere fantasy to actual reality.

"Alright, I won't."

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

Dishes clean and tucked in the cupboards, Evelynn was left to enjoy a warm shower as a reward afterwards. Akali had given her a green, oversized jersey with _Ionia University's_ logo sown over one of the sleeves, the black-colored number ten clearly outlined with white.

Her sleepwear for tonight was big enough to cover below her waist, but it was only barely, which of course, exposed her shapely thighs and long legs for her beloved creator, who was quick to bid good night before retreating in the bedroom, to see. The underwear she had once again borrowed from Akali felt much smaller and tighter. Until they haven't bought any clothes that could fit her figure, Evelynn could not afford to be choosey, and neither could Akali.

By the time Evelynn had dried her hair and hung her towel on the hook Akali vacated for her in the bathroom, she quietly made her way to the quarters of the artist. Despite the fact that they had said good night to one another, the siren was too tempted, and a bit curious, to see if Akali was still awake.

Although, just like what she predicted, when she tried twisting the knob of the bedroom, it clicked in resistance and refused to turn. Of course Akali locked the door. She was sharing her apartment with someone she barely knew after all. Evelynn softly sighed to herself and decided to just return to the living room to find her way to her own dreamland.

Evelynn scoffed at the notion of such. Creations like her don't dream. Why would they if they themselves are a dream come true of another?

Swiping the gas lighter she found in one of the cabinets in the kitchen, Evelynn made her way to the sofa. She fell on the couch and onto the comforter laid above it, sighing at the additional comfort the latter offered.

Instead of laying down the moment she had settled, she reached out for her sketch on the coffee table. The folded paper was in between the folds of Karma's scarf, which gave her no trouble in withdrawing the item.

The goddess did nothing but stare at the parchment she now had in hand. She raised it enough for her to audit it with a clear view, its folded state preventing her from seeing the drawing she originated from.

Akali may not be kicking her out of the apartment and may not despise her as much as Xayah had once detested Rakan, she still knew the artist still had a long way to go before she fully believed in her. This only meant that Evelynn still had to rely on such a worthless-looking paper.

In the middle of the moonlit living room, a dim glow of orange emitted from the tip of the gas lighter, which sparked to life the moment Evelynn pulled its trigger downward with one of her fingers.

The small flame came close to one of the corners of the paper, hovering just an inch or two away from the thin object. With just a little shift, Evelynn knew she could burn the parchment right then and there.

Erase herself from Akali's life and remain into nothing but a doodle that will never come to be in the future.

Evelynn's eyebrows furrowed in what seemed to be a form of struggle as she hesitated in turning her current source of life into ashes.

The thought of Akali being left with no choice but to adjust to her and need to sacrifice things she wished to own just for the sake of clothing and feeding her was drivng Evelynn to keep the lighter on and the flame alive.

But, the initial purpose that caused her to exist was still fighting. Zilean gifted her to Akali for a reason, and that reason is as true as she is.

Akali was _lonely_.

Ever since she left her country and continued her life mostly by her own, the artist was craving for someone to keep her company. Deep inside herself, there was this genuine longing she had yet to realize she owned in the first place. She was so used to being close to her family and friends back home, so flying off and staying in a different country all by herself was really considered a bit frightening and more than a little lonesome.

_That_ is the reason why Evelynn retrieved her finger from the trigger, the audible click of the gas lighter echoing throughout the room.

If the artist will let her, then Evelynn will _never_ let Akali walk alone.

"She still needs me." Evelynn whispered, her words directed to herself and mainly uttered to vanquish her doubts towards her purpose. She chuckled rather sarcastically after a moment of staring, lightly shaking her head as she placed the lighter on the table, while she slid the sketch back to its hiding place in the scarf. "The things we say to hold on..."

Dismissing any other matters that threatened to occupy her mind, Evelynn finally laid down and tucked herself underneath her blanket. The moment she turned and buried half of her face into the pillow, her breath hitched and she became briefly still before relaxing completely.

Evelynn smiled as she took in the scent Akali had left on the plush cushion. Eventually, the pillow didn't last long under her head, for she took it into her arms and settled on embracing it, which greatly helped her in closing her eyes and ultimately allowed her in falling in her dream-less slumber.

The pillow was the only suitable substitute for the warmth she was truly yearning for.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Yawning as she stretched her arms above her head, Akali wordlessly urged herself to inch towards the buzzing digital clock on the bedside table. Of course it took her three or more snoozes before she finally sat up and turned the alarm off officially, which somehow signified the beginning of her day after Christmas.

Lugging herself off her bed, which nearly dragged her blankets with her in the process, Akali went to the bathroom to relieve her bladder and gargle some water afterwards to remove her morning breath. Once done with both tasks, she made her way to the living room, and she wasn't even halfway through the small hall leading to the main area when she remembered her new roommate.

Akali, whose hair was still left untied, quickly brushed off as many knots out as she could to make herself a bit presentable to the woman she was now sharing her unit with. When she did reach the living room though, her eyes immediately scanned the area.

Upon her inspection, all she found was the three accessories still left on the coffee table and the comforter all folded up just like the blanket she had lent last night. Above those two was the lone pillow she had also given Evelynn, who was apparently nowhere to be found.

A part of her was disappointed that everything that happened yesterday wasn't a wild dream. She was hoping it would be, since it would have saved her the hassle of coming to terms with a whole lot of things that suddenly entered her life in a single day.

Another part of herself was admittedly happy though. Since everything seemed to be legitimately real, then that means she has a breathtakingly gorgeous roommate to share the apartment with for the time being. A roommate that weirdly resembles a character she had created out of nothing but her trusty imagination.

A roommate that was also currently missing.

"Uhh... Hello?"

.....

.....

.....

"Right here, darling."

Akali jumped in surprise, whipping her gaze from the kitchen and hastily redirecting it to the window leading to the fire escape, where she spotted Evelynn slipping through. Instead of stepping in completely, the goddess situated herself on the windowsill, left leg dangling inside the apartment and right leg propped up on the edge.

At that moment, Akali never thought _Ionia University_ would look so _sexually appealing_ thanks to how well Evelynn donned her old jersey.

"Uhh, _ohayou_...?" Akali greeted, while her eyes flickered to Evelynn's legs, which were literally displayed right before her, much to her attempts of resistance in staring.

"Good morning to you, too." Evelynn returned with a smile that Akali immediately tried avoiding in seeing. She knew if she caught sight of it, she'll probably stare at it longer than necessary.

Gaze darting away from the window, she scratched her nape and started to explain to Evelynn what they'll be doing for today. Once they shop for some clothes for Evelynn, Akali made the woman promise to her that she'll never walk naked again around the apartment. Although the siren was quick to give the promise Akali was hoping to get, the artist still noticed how disappointed Evelynn was in doing so.

"We should get some breakfast first before we leave."

Evelynn nodded, finally vacating her place at the window and stepping inside the apartment. "What will we be having, then?"

Akali suppressed the urge to wince at the eagerness of the other, feeling more embarrassed than she should be when she said, "Spicy ramyun."

"Oh..."

A whole moment of awkward silence that felt like it dragged on for more than hour consumed them before Akali managed to regain her courage to speak up again. She sighed as she half-distractedly fiddled with the hem of her shirt with one of her hands.

"I know, I know, we had noodles last night and I guess it sucks that...-"

"It's perfect, Akali." Evelynn smoothly cut off, offering a smile of reassurance that surprisingly dispelled a great deal of the illustrator's embarrassment. "There's nothing like starting a day with your favorite food, right?"

"I guess..."

"I'll go boil the water, then."

"Ah, no, I think I can do it."

Evelynn tutted, approaching Akali and pushing her towards one of the couches, which the artist ended up being seated on before the TV remote was handed to her. "Wait here while I prepare our food."

"No, seriously, I can do it."

"I can't pay rent yet, remember?" Evelynn reminded as she left her on the sofa and walked towards the kitchen area. "To not pose as a mere burden for you to take care of, I'll do the house chores from now on."

"Eh?" Akali spun around, kneeled on the cushions and placed her hands on top of the backrest, looking over the couch and towards Evelynn, who was now taking out the same pot the ramyun was cooked in last night. "You're not my maid."

"Nor am I your child to clothe and feed, yet here we are." Evelynn casually countered with a smile Akali failed to look away from. "Now, sit your cute, little butt back on the sofa and enjoy whatever show you find on TV."

A few quiet sounds of a stove opening, steel utensils clashing and packs of instant noodles being ripped open, Akali surprisingly still had her gaze fixated on Evelynn. The latter raised her head once she finished tearing the packs open, obviously aware of the pair of eyes focused on her.

"Yes, darling?"

"...You think I have a cute butt?"

Evelynn smiled and winked as she said, "The cutest."

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

Valoran Mall had just opened probably an hour ago by the time the pair arrived at the location, which Akali was greatly thankful for. Since there still wasn't much people yet, this meant that she and Evelynn could finish shopping before someone she might know sees them walking around together.

While walking though, she couldn't help but feel awkward with the small space between her and Evelynn. Their hands would occasionally bump into one another and everytime it did, Akali was quick to assume Evelynn wanted to hold hands.

But, everytime she turned her gaze to Evelynn to give her a blunt refusal, she'd always find the siren looking around the mall with wonder and curiosity written all over her face. Obviously, the whole hand-bumping thing was purely accidental.

Akali blushed at the thought, feeling like she was too quick to accuse. Thankfully, Evelynn didn't seem to notice the light pink hue that tinted her cheeks, which faded before the goddess directed her attention to her.

"Where will we be buying my clothes?"

"Huh? Oh, well," Akali adjusted her jacket as she shortly glanced around. "since we'll need more than a handful of things for you, there's this store here that has a lot of sales and promos. Buy one, take one kinds of stuff."

"Ah, I see." Evelynn tapped her chin as she said, "We're aiming for bargains here, correct?"

"Yeah." Akali then turned her head to meet Evelynn's gaze. "I mean, if you have money..."

Evelynn shook her head. "I don't. If I did, I'd be the first to buy you that console you wanted."

Akali huffed. "Forget about that. It's just a video game console."

"But you want it."

"But _you_ don't need it." Akali countered, sounding a bit triumphant that she made a good point. "Which is also why it can wait."

"Is that the store?" Evelynn asked when she spotted a shop with a bunch of posters that told the mall-goers that they had dozens of promos with their clothes.

"Yep, that's it."

When they both walked into the clothing store, more than two employees were quick to offer their services to them. Although, if Akali's observation served her well, then she was pretty sure they were more interested in assisting Evelynn rather than her.

"Are there any limitations in this little shopping of ours?" Evelynn asked, inspecting one of the clothing racks filled with T-shirts with various designs.

"Just pick out some plain outfits for you to wear in the house and maybe a few stuff that you can use when you want to go out or something." Akali said, already eyeing the hoodies found at one side of the shop. "We'll shop for your underwear somewhere else."

"Alright."

The moment Evelynn broke off from her and decided to look around for the clothes she'll need, Akali didn't hesitate to see if there were any cool hoodies she could buy for herself. While she browsed through a few here and there, she would sometimes take notice of how he store attendants were so happy in helping Evelynn out with the clothes she chose.

Two of them were oh so willing to carry the shirts, pants and shorts Evelynn took a liking to, while another employee was absolutely attentive when it came to the occasional question of the goddess. Looking at the somewhat comedic sight, they honestly looked like they were waiting on a royal or something.

Taking a white hoodie with black vinyl patterns, Akali approached the full-body mirror found right beside one of the dressing stalls. She had only taken the clothing hanger out when Evelynn walked past her and slipped into nearby dressing stall with a few jeans held in her arms.

Akali surveyed her surroundings for a second, spotting the employees previously assisting the siren already placing the clothes they had in hand on the counter of the cashier.

Humming a little tune underneath her breath, Akali shrugged her own jacket off and hung it over a nearby clothing rack before slipping the hoodie she had taken a liking to. Once it was on, she inspected herself in the mirror, twisting and turning a couple of times to see if it looked good on her.

"You should totally buy that."

Almost jumping out of surprise, Akali spun around and faced whoever it was that spoke up. Her blue eyes ended up looking into hazel brown eyes that belonged to no one else but a co-worker of hers.

Who she also has a _huge_ crush on.

"Kayn!" Akali uttered the guy's name in surprise, a smile immediately taking over her lips.

The man flashed a little grin as he nodded his head back, the blue streak on his hair bouncing slightly. "Hey."

"What're you doing here?" Akali asked, trying her best to keep it cool and not appear too excited.

"Some people at the office said the hoodies here are really awesome, so I thought I'd check it out." Kayn then gave her a nudge, nodding his head to the one Akali was wearing. "And it looks like you just found yourself a keeper."

"Oh, you really think so?" Akali pulled on the hem of the hoodie she was trying on.

"Yeah, looks great on you, Akane."

"Uh, it's actually Akali." She sheepishly corrected, smiling with a tad bit of embarrassment written on her face.

"Right, sorry." Kayn chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

Inside one of the dressing stalls, Evelynn had just finished trying one of the pants and was already putting her own jeans back on. Due to the barrier between her and the artists conversing outside being a mere curtain, she could clearly hear how Akali seemed to be noticeably affected with a man's presence. A man Evelynn knew through Akali's memories, but was not personally acquainted with.

Despite the urge to push the curtain aside and just unveil herself to the pair, she leaned on the wall and decided to patiently eavesdrop on the duo's discussion. Although, Evelynn had to admit, she was a bit jealous and a little irritated.

Jealous because Akali seemed to be enjoying this particular person's presence and attention, and irritated because the man himself couldn't even properly remember Akali's name.

"So," Kayn glanced around for a second before returning his eyes back to Akali. "you here alone?"

Akali barely stopped herself from claiming that she was indeed alone, but her mind was quick to remind her that not only does she have company, but she also has to pay for the clothes of said company.

"Uhh, actually, I'm here with a... friend."

"A friend, huh?"

"No, no, seriously. She's just a friend." Akali said with a little laugh.

"Oh, alright. Maybe next time you can introduce me to her."

"Uh, yeah, sure, that'd be cool."

"Okay, then. Well, I just remembered something I need to do, so..." Kayn offered one more smile and grin before turning away and waving goodbye. "See you at the office."

"Yeah, see you there."

Once again, inside the dressing stall, Evelynn seemed to be deep in thought about the talk she had secretly listened in. Even when she exited the stall and made her way to the cashier where she found Akali already paying for the hoodie she had tried on earlier, she couldn't help but internally pout.

Why couldn't she affect Akali like that? Be wanted by her creator the way the woman seemed to crave the company of Kayn, who couldn't even remember Akali's name. It was annoying and at the same time significantly saddening.

_'Patience, Evelynn. All in due time.'_ She reminded herself, briefly auditing Akali, whose mood clearly became more uplifted than before. Obviously, that Kayn guy meant _something_ to her. More than Evelynn is to her as of now.

"You look happy." Evelynn commented as the employees started packing the clothes they bought in shopping bags.

"A bit, I guess." Akali admitted with a little smile.

"Is it because of a boy?"

Akali flushed pink and gave Evelynn a light slap on the arm. "S-Shut up!"

Regardless of the light chuckle she gave in return to the flustered demand, Evelynn knew at that moment that she really needed to resort to what the others had suggested. Seeing how Akali couldn't stop smiling to herself and thinking about her colleague

If Akali ends up thinking and believing Kayn is the answer to her loneliness, then why should Evelynn even exist in the first place?

That question alone frightens the goddess.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Okay, okay, I know what all of you are thinking. Author, why aren't you updating your other stories? Author, why are you updating THIS story even though you promised not to focus on this one? Author, what about other pairings?
> 
> I know, everyone. I know. My author's notes are very unreliable, and for that, I'm sorry. ^^"
> 
> To also tackle another issue, a handful of you messaged me out of concern about a Reddit post involving one of my stories. A user there seemed to be claiming credit of the Frozen Lotus story I made a few years ago. I just wanna say that I do NOT have a Reddit account, so whatever or whoever you see in that platform that claims that they wrote any of my stories, that's not me. (unless I create my own account there)
> 
> The only legit and active social media accounts I have are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, FanFiction, Wattpad and AO3.
> 
> Anywayyyyy! I had some trouble with Kayn's eye color here, so I went with brown based on a great deal of fan arts I saw. It was honestly really hard to see his other eye color (one that wasn't red) in his original splash art. ^^"
> 
> Also, I kinda used this chapter to show that Evelynn is willing to start it off as slow as she could for Akali's sake and that Evelynn herself isn't the only 'miracle' that happened. I also wanted to introduce Kayn here, who as you all read, is Akali's crush, which kinda references her interaction in League with him whenever they encounter each other.
> 
> For now, I honestly don't know what I'll be working on since my head is overflowing with so many ideas for stories. I know, I suck at managing time and myself. XD
> 
> Till my next update~
> 
> (By the way, to the reader I met in ESGS, I forgot to ask who you were before you and your friend ran off, so hopefully, if you're reading this, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! ^^)


	4. Chapter 4

**ACT 4**

Dreaming the things she had always wanted during her slumber was certainly something Akali had taken for granted. Right now, she was bobbing her head along with the beat of the music pouring out of the speakers as she sketched random characters on the paper laid out on top of her desk.

This was something she always did whenever she felt unhurried with whatever project she had in mind in presenting at the office. It made her feel like she was back in her childhood room, doodling various characters that were usually left undone in the end.

What's different here was that after so much sketching here and there, Akali eventually found herself beginning to focus on the character she was now working on. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she put such meticulous details onto the drawing she was determined in finishing.

The tip of the pencil glided over the paper ever so smoothly as Akali held it with the lightest but most secured grip. No matter what type of music that left the speakers, it didn't deter Akali's attention from her creation.

Next thing she knew, she blinked.

The paper was suddenly blank.

Akali pulled back, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. Where was the drawing she was working on? It was literally right there! Where...-!

"Darling." That warm, velvety voice echoed in her ears, threatening to either melt her heart or spark a flame of yearning within her.

Smooth and slender arms wrapped around her like a cocoon of warmth and Akali was unable to stop herself from leaning back. It felt right to do so. She let out a small sigh as she turned her head to look over her shoulder, only for her azure orbs to clash with bright ambers.

It was her drawing.

Her Goddess.

"Evelynn."

The goddess smiled and caressed her cheek. There was no other movement that would have signaled for a kiss, but a tender whisper did cause Akali's heart to thunder deafeningly.

"Don't forget about me."

Akali wanted to say something. Anything, honestly. Yet, when she tried, all that she managed to get out was a breath, while her eyes remained fixated in the enchanting gaze of the woman that embraced her with unbelievable tenderness.

The more she stared into those eyes though, the more she saw the pleading look that tried hiding behind a cool and confident exterior. In the end, the strong and calm façade was not enough to mask the fear that trembled underneath.

Just when Evelynn made a motion in finally leaning in to instigate a kiss, Akali blinked once again and suddenly, she wasn't sitting down anymore. Everything around her change in an instant and the warmth that gave her a form of solace was gone and was replaced by a blanket draped over her form.

Lying on her stomach, half of her face buried in a pillow and drool dripping over the corner of her parted lips and onto the cushion itself, Akali was gradually roused out of her dream. She slowly pushed herself up and wiped the trail of saliva away with her shirt, one hand keeping her up as her eyes sleepily surveyed her room.

Once again, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Although most dreams usually end up being forgotten, Akali could still recall her most recent one with crystal clarity. She found it a bit unusual, especially since a certain someone made an unforeseen cameo in it.

Speaking of the goddess, Akali directed her gaze to her bedroom door. It was locked and only she had the key and capability in unlocking it, which of course disabled Evelynn from sneaking into her room. Not that she expected the woman to do such thing, but Akali just wanted to be preventive. A part of her did wonder though if her morning would be different if she hadn't locked it.

Akali got up and left her bed, intending on checking her roommate outside. Quietly unlocking the door, she tiptoed out of her bedroom and made her way to the main area of the apartment. Of course the smell of eggs cooking was quick to invade her sense of smell the moment she stepped out of her quarters.

Was Evelynn cooking breakfast?

"Good morning, darling." Came the warm greeting of the woman that's been occupying Akali's train of thought.

"Hey." Akali returned, offering a small smile and a somewhat timid wave. "Uhh, where'd you get the eggs?"

"Oh, these?" Evelynn briefly raised the freshly-cooked morning meal of theirs. "One of your neighbors was kind enough to give me a couple of eggs after I asked for some."

"Wait, you went next door and asked for them?"

Evelynn nodded. "Yes, the woman's son was quite nice."

Akali's eyebrows furrowed, trying to figure out which neighbor did Evelynn speak to. "You mean... Lissandra and Nunu?"

"Mm-hm."

"Oh." Akali scratched the back of her head as she approached the kitchen island, where Evelynn placed their plates. "I'm surprised their dog didn't growl at you."

"What does that supposed to mean?"

"It's nothing personal or anything, but their dog's honestly angry at _everyone_ but its owners."

"Oh hush. Willump is such a sweetheart."

"To you, probably. But to me? Not really."

"Why wouldn't he be? He's just like me."

Akali, who was just about to pick up her fork, stopped and turned her gaze to Evelynn, a surprised look in her eyes. She blinked at the goddess, trying to confirm to herself if she really did hear the woman correctly.

"Wait, what?"

"Remember the one that I told you about someone asking for a dog instead of a human?" Evelynn then nodded to the direction of the unit where the said pet resided. "That was what the boy next door asked for. He's been quite lonely ever since his biological mother died."

"I thought Nunu was Lissandra's real son..." Akali murmured more to herself rather than Evelynn, taken aback by the unforeseen revelation.

"Enough about these matters." Evelynn flicked her gaze down to Akali's plate. "Eat your breakfast before it gets cold."

Curiosity still dwelling within her and questions swimming around her head, Akali momentarily contemplated if she should further pry about whatever Evelynn knew about her neighbors, who were apparently involved in a circumstance somewhat identical to hers.

But when she saw how Evelynn was eyeing her and expectantly waiting for her to begin eating, Akali chose to ditch her initial idea and started devouring her food. She didn't exactly want to look ungrateful, especially since the siren did put some sincere effort in making sure her stomach had some contents upon the beginning of her day.

"Evelynn?" She called out once she finished chewing the piece of bread she was nibbling on.

"Hmm?" Evelynn hummed through the food she was chewing.

"I know this is probably too early to talk about in the day, but... I kinda have some questions again."

"Questions...?"

"Yeah, questions about, well, you."

"Alright," Evelynn placed her fork down and idly leaned on the countertop. "let me hear them."

Akali twiddled with her fingers, not really knowing how she'll word her query. Her lips pursed every now and then, and everytime she tried speaking, she couldn't really find her voice.

Across her, Evelynn tilted her head and observed her with a look that clearly told the other she knew what she was thinking of. But, like what Evelynn had wordlessly promised, she'll give Akali time to get used to her and that she'll try her hardest not to freak the artist out with her capabilities.

"I can be anything you want me to be."

Akali snapped her head up and took her eyes away from her fingers, gaze refocusing on the woman with her. There was confusion written on her face for a brief moment, but once Evelynn's words sunk in, she realized that the goddess had just answered the question she was having trouble in saying.

"And by that, you mean...?" Akali flimsily gestured for Evelynn to continue.

"Once again, you're thinking about who I am to you, right? If I'm really just a mere drawing that came to life or something more, yes?"

"I mean, you can't blame me, right? I know we've been going around this issue over and over again. Like, literally in circles, but I can't help it."

Evelynn hummed, nodding once in understanding. "The question is, darling, do you even believe what I've been telling you?"

"Yeah, actually, I _have _been believing you." Akali affirmatively replied. "Ever since last night, I've been taking you for your word, so yeah, I guess I can confidently say that I trust you. Even if it's just a little bit. I even let you stay here in my apartment."

"Aww, that's quite a handful of reassurance, honey. Thank you." Evelynn cooed, her sincerity showing in her amber gaze.

"You're welcome." Akali muttered, eyes suddenly averting from the goddess and cheeks warming up with an adorable red hue.

"Alright then, you want to know the entire reason _why _I exist initially?"

Mutely, Akali nodded.

Once she had given a silent reply, Akali expected to get an immediate and straightforward answer. When a hand caressed her cheek with tenderness like no other, she wanted to jump in surprise at the unexpected touch, but those fingertips were soft and delicate and it took away Akali's will in distancing herself.

The hand cupped her cheek oh so lightly and leisurely raised her head until their gazes met, and Akali swore to all her ancestors, the woman before her would be the death of her, especially with how fast her heart was suddenly beating at that moment. Why was Evelynn so... _enthralling_?

"You're lonely." Evelynn murmured, her thumb brushing over Akali's cheek.

"I... I am?"

"Don't you miss your family? Your friends?" Leaning forward, Evelynn left only a fair amount of space between them. "Your home?"

Just by the thought of her family, Akali's focus trailed away from Evelynn and her sadness was quick to reflect in her eyes. She slightly drooped against Evelynn's hand for a moment before she pulled away and started poking at her half-eaten food with her fork.

This was a part of her life she's not so willing in discussing. After all, they're thousands of miles away from her and knowing that fact itself made her feel utterly homesick.

"You wouldn't understand."

Once she heard Akali's muttered claim, Evelynn wanted to reach for one of her hands and hold it to provide comfort, but the motion was halted before she could visibly make her move.

Instead of acting upon her heart's desire, Evelynn took her gaze away from Akali's hand and refocused them to the artist's face, fortunately capturing the stare that had evaded her own a moment ago.

"May I?"

Despite still feeling the disheartening emotion that had surfaced at the mention of her family, Akali's confusion returned once she reconnected their gazes. Eyebrows slightly furrowed, she asked, "May you what?"

"May I offer you comfort?" Evelynn softly uttered, fingertips grazing Akali's forearm. She tempted herself with the fleeting touch, yet her self-control strongly held up. As much as she wanted to act at that very moment, she knew she had to tread carefully and ponder about her choices concerning the blue-eyed female.

"What makes you think that's enough? That _you're_ enough?" Akali abruptly asked, an exasperated gleam glinting in her eyes. "The one I need?"

Evelynn's lips parted to provide a response, but all that seeped through the gap was a soundless breath before it pursed close. The goddess removed her gaze from her creator, eyebrows knitting in deep thought.

Those words, let them be letters and syllables put together, made Evelynn feel like she was being deliberately stabbed in the chest. Her heart shook and ached the moment she heard them, yet her neutral expression gave away not a single glimpse of emotion.

"I know I can't replace your family and the warm feeling their company gives you." Evelynn spoke in an even tone. She knew her place now. Akali didn't need to put her in it. "But I'm _trying_, Akali."

"Trying to what? Replicate them?"

"Trying to make you _happy_." Evelynn answered in a heartbeat, gazing deeply into Akali's eyes without an ounce of intention in breaking away. "You like having your alone time, that much is true. But, can you call me a liar if I told you that in the end, you feel alone? That a part of you wishes that _someone_ is there for you at the end of the day? To at least talk to you about your day and how it all went?"

Akali's lips formed into a line, while she took it upon herself to break their eye contact by snatching her gaze from the hold of Evelynn's own. A low sigh left her lips as she ran a hand through her unruly hair, wordlessly refusing to dignify the said question with an answer.

"I know it would be too much to ask of you to open up to me and I _know _I can't expect you to trust me so easily, but I'm honestly _hoping_." Evelynn sincerely confessed, a forlorn look in her eyes.

"Why bother hoping?" Akali spoke without thinking, not even contemplating if she should take it back or at least apologize for her rudely-uttered reply.

Of course it was no surprise that Evelynn's answer rendered her speechless yet again. The goddess always did seem to possess that habit, so Akali probably shouldn't have been surprised.

"Because without hope, I'd be nothing."

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

The audible dragging sound of the plate on the surface echoed throughout the unit as Akali pushed her meal away from herself. For a moment, she remained silent on her place before she shook her head and spun around, walking away from the woman that watched her with a pained, longing gaze.

"I'm not hungry." Akali muttered as she retreated, intending on taking a shower and finally leaving the apartment to pay her police friend a visit.

Even when the artist had disappeared from the goddess' line of sight, Evelynn's eyes remained trained on the direction where the former had gone. The ticking of the nearby wall clock felt so deafening in her ears, and with each pronounced tick she heard, the more she took notice of the silence that had engulfed the entire apartment.

Literally, with a blink of her eyes, she felt tears stream down her cheeks. She tried blinking the others away, but the more she attempted doing such, more drops followed. Her tears were there and they had no intention in appearing nonexistent. Despite knowing she would not be heard, nor seen, a question left her lips. One that she was desperately yearning for an answer to.

"Do you really need me?"

The silence that ended up responding to her made her heart ache and wallow in a pool of agony. This was torture, yet the small glimmer of hope within her still continued flickering in the shadows of the pain of heartbreak.

Was she a mere fool deluding herself with false hope?

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Even though it was merely the day after Christmas, the police station was bustling with officers here and there busy with their own tasks. It may be the holidays, but that didn't mean the crime in the city stopped. Not only those mentioned crimes, but there were those occasional accidents that happened around the vicinity, so it gave the police officers on duty quite a handful of tasks to be accomplished.

Proof of the much needed police officers were the incidents yesterday. There was a robbery and a car accident on the other side of the city, which kept some of them occupied last night.

Regardless of everything that was mentioned, the Deputy seemed to be acting pretty chill. As much as she wanted to spend the Christmas holiday back at her apartment, she and the Sheriff volunteered to take up some of the cases of the officers that took their vacation leave.

It wasn't only because they didn't mind, but also because the two didn't really have anyone to spend the special occasion with but each other. Both officers, mainly the Sheriff, figured they could just spend their time productively.

The pink-haired officer sipped from her mug of coffee as she made her way through the station, holding two folders of finished paperwork. She easily dropped both files on the nearest desk with an officer currently stationed behind, causing the latter to look at her with surprise.

"Drop those off at the archives." Vi spoke before taking another sip from her caffeine. "The Sheriff already checked those."

"Yes, ma'am." The officer nodded and took the pair of folders before heading towards the Archives Room.

Once she finished taking care of the task her superior had given her, Vi started towards the direction of the Sherrif's office, which she then entered without even bothering on knocking. She grinned and waved at the woman that shot her a mildly scolding look, one that was caused by her unannounced entry and loud manner in closing the door.

"Heya."

"Hmm." Caitlyn hummed flatly, eyes refocusing back to the papers she had in hand.

"Sooo," Vi began, plopping herself on one of the seats in front of the desk. "when are we clocking out?"

"Vi," Caitlyn raised her head and gave her a sharp look. "if you didn't want to work during the holidays, then why did you volunteer in the first place?"

"Because _you_ volunteered, duh." Vi answered as if it was most obvious answer there is. "Besides, I like watching you work. You look really gorgeous with those glasses on."

Caitlyn quirked an eyebrow behind said eyeglasses, receiving only a grin from Vi as she stared. Sighing and lightly shaking her head at her partner's quips, she redirected her focus back to her work. Unfortunately for her though, those glasses weren't enough to mask the light redness that spread across her face, which was definitely not caused by the cold weather.

"Why don't you wear those in bed?" Vi asked with a pout, fingers tapping against the warm surface of the side of her mug.

"Because I sleep when I'm in bed."

"That's not what _we _did last night." Vi flirtatiously commented, gesturing randomly as she added. "Or the night before that."

"Point taken, Vi." Caitlyn grunted out, flashing her Deputy a sarcastic smile.

_ **Knock! Knock! Knock! ** _

"Come in!" The duo invited, the aura in the room shifting immediately from steamy to professional in a heartbeat. With how fast everything morphed into, no one would have guessed that these two were having this one-sided, risque banter.

The door clicked open and an officer was quick to poke his head in, turning to Vi as he said, "Pardon for the disturbance, but, uh, Officer Vi, there's someone out at waiting area asking for you."

Vi raised an eyebrow, while Caitlyn lowered her gaze back to the paperwork she was initially handling. "For me? Who?"

"It's a woman. Said her name's Tethi Akali, and she also claimed she needed to talk to you about something urgent."

"Oh, okay. I'll be right out."

The man nodded before leaving the pair alone again, closing the door once he received a response from the much higher-ranking officer. Vi stood up and leaned over the desk, right cheek poised just in front of Caitlyn.

"A little kissy before I go?"

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, but nonetheless lifted her head and leaned in, her lips softly pressing against the cheek of her partner. Once she pulled back and finished granting the Deputy's request, she reached forward and wiped the faint red kiss mark on the pinkette's cheek.

"Aww, you wiped it." Vi feigned a whine, a small grin playing on her face.

"Shut up and go." Caitlyn half-heartedly shooed the other away, smiling behind the paper she raised to cover half of her face.

Vi chuckled, pulling back and finally taking her leave to see what her friend wanted from her. Whistling a tune, Vi made her way through the station again while she swirled her mug in a circular motion.

She and Akali met somewhere in the streets in the city. There was this guy who tried pickpocketing Akali and of course the latter retaliated with a brutal flying kick on the face the second she noticed.

After one of the passersby called the cops, Vi and Caitlyn responded to the call since they were in the area and arrested the thief, while they took Akali in for a statement concerning the crime. Long story short, it was Vi who Akali ended up being spoken to at the station and by the time their whole talk ended, they shared enough common ground to call each other friends.

Apparently, having a mutual perspective when it comes to choosing between fancy food or instant noodles and burgers is a huge thing between the two of them.

"Yo!" Vi greeted once she spotted Akali situated on one of the chairs at the waiting area.

"Oh, hey!" Akali immediately stood up, waving back as she approached the pinkette.

Violet eyes narrowed slightly as Akali approached the Deputy, the mentioned gaze suddenly scrutinizing the drawing artist. Akali seemed to be oblivious about the observing look, which saved Vi from being questioned about her reaction.

There's something different about Akali. Vi could feel it. No matter how curious it made her, the officer decided to just brush it off for now and focus on the reason why her friend asked for her in the first place.

Vi nodded her head at Akali as she gave the latter a firm yet friendly slap on the arm once she was within reach. "Merry Christmas."

"Uhh, yeah, yeah." Akali replied back with a little laugh. "You, too."

"So, what's up?"

"Okay, listen, as much I want to talk and catch up with you, I'm kinda here for a much more important thing. I don't want to come off strong or anything, or rudely, but I really just want to get this over with. I know we've only been friends for like a couple of months,"

"Yeah...?"

"but I _really _need to ask you a huge favor."

Vi raised an eyebrow, shifting her footing. "And what's that?"

"Right, uh, what I'm about to say is a little weird and hard to believe, I guess, but humor me, alright?"

"Ooh-kay." Vi wound an arm around Akali and led her back to the chairs, where they both ended up seated beside one another.

While Vi laid her back against the backrest of the chair and had her arm behind the artist, Akali was leaning close to her police friend, intending to keep their conversation as quiet possible. She didn't exactly want others to hear her bizarre story.

"Alright, I'm listening."

"Okay, uhh, where do I start?" Akali cleared her throat and gave a little shake with her hands before she officially began her storytelling. "Do you watch those, like, Christmas movies?"

"The one with Christmas miracles and what not?"

"Yeah, that."

"Don't really have a choice." Vi said, laughing a bit to herself. "Cupcake loves them."

"Right, well, what if I told you that a miracle happened to me the other day?"

"A miracle? During Christmas Eve?"

"Yeah."

Now Vi had an amused look in her eyes. "You for real, Kali?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but bear with me, alright?"

"Okay, fine. Continue your story."

"The other day I met this old man named Zilean."

"Cool name."

"Focus, Vi." Akali nearly whined, not wanting to trail away from the subject. "As I was saying, this old guy asked me about something I might want. I told him about this character I made when I was a kid and he made me describe her."

"Uh-huh."

"And while I also told him about her, I was also drawing her on this book he had." Akali then rolled her eyes at the memory. "It wasn't exactly a book if you ask me. I mean, all the pages were torn already, except for one, which was where I drew my character."

"Okay, then?"

"After I drew her, the bus came, so I was about to go when he suddenly ripped the page from his book and gave it to me, telling me that I wasn't going to be alone anymore and all that wisdom-like crap."

Due to Akali being too absorbed in recalling and explaining her story, she failed to perceive the growing amusement in Vi's eyes, its violet hue shimmering quite nicely underneath the natural light flooding through the building's windows.

"And is that it?"

"Oh no, here comes the good part."

"Why do I feel like it's actually the _bad_ part?" Vi quipped with an innocent smile, which Akali chose to just disregard.

"I worked on the character I made when I got home and gave it a few traits here and there, y'know, like how artists give their original characters their own personality and attitude."

"Oh yeah, I'm _definitely _familiar with how those things work."

"I thought of doing all that, cuz why not, right? There's nothing wrong about it."

"Yep, nothing wrong."

"Right?" Akali gestured at her for emphasis, nodding and looking thankful that Vi seemed to believe her and wasn't labeling her as a nutshell. "And, well, I slept at night when I got tired, totally clueless about what was going to happen the next day. I then woke up because of some noises from my living room."

"Home invasion?" Vi cracked another joke, grinning.

"Pfft, yeah, I wish." Akali said, scoffing as she shook her head. "So, I got up and went to check on what it was, and next thing I knew, there was this naked woman walking around my apartment!"

"...Wow."

"I know! It's super crazy and really unbelievable, right?"

"Is she hot though?"

"Vi! I'm being serious here!"

"Okay, okay, what came next?"

"Well, I made her cry, then we made up, _then _we got into this little fight again this morning and long story short, I'm sharing my apartment with a complete stranger!"

By the time Akali finished, her breathing was slightly uneven and she was lowly huffing and puffing. It was honestly internally satisfying that she let that all out and managed to tell someone all about her current predicament.

The whole ordeal was driving her crazy, and she was absolutely grateful Vi listened to her without just laughing and brushing it all off as her making bizarre stories that sound like it came from fantasy novels and what not.

.....

.....

.....

"Is she hot though?" Vi repeated, pointing a finger at Akali as if the inquiry was an entirely sensible one.

"I... I don't know! I guess?"

"You guess?"

"Okay, fine! She's pretty hot."

"Pretty hot?"

"_Really _hot." Akali corrected herself with a huff. "There, happy?"

Vi chuckled and shook her head, but despite the fact that she looked like she was laughing off everything that was told, she withdrew a pen and a notepad from her pocket. She flipped it open and prepared herself to list down the answers Akali will be giving her in the next moment.

"Tell me her name and what she looks like."

"Her name's Evelynn."

It was only for a single second, but Akali didn't seem to notice how Vi froze momentarily before her entire form relaxed again. Fleeting the reaction may be, Vi was thankful the other woman didn't notice it, which saved her from making any excuses that probably wouldn't have even come off as believable.

"Alright... Evelynn..." Vi wrote the given name before turning back to Akali. "Last name?"

"...I don't know."

Vi now looked even more amused than she already was. "Seriously?"

"...Yeah, I know this sounds stupid, but all I know is that she's Evelynn."

"Okay," Vi lightly shook her head again, placing the tip of her pen against the paper. "What about her appearance? Hair color, eye color, the typical details."

Akali nodded and proceeded to describe Evelynn to the officer, who seemed to be attentively listening to each word she said and was swiftly jotting them all down on her paper.

In the process of it, Akali actually had to stop herself from being too precise, especially when it came to Evelynn's face. She was being unnecessarily detailed when it came to the goddess' eyes, which she accidentally said looked like its color was similar to the most beautiful amber shade that reminded her of a flame's breathtaking embers.

"You sure you're describing a stranger you just met?" Vi asked, amusement coating her words. "Or are you describing your dream woman?"

"W-What!?"

Vi snickered. "Never knew you were gay, Kali."

"I-I'm...! I'm not!" Akali sputtered out, face reddening in embarrassment. "I'm straight dammit!"

"Okay, okay, no need to get all angry." Vi conceded with a laugh and a small gesture of raising her hands. "Is that all? Nothing else?"

Akali wore a contemplative face, while her cheeks gradually lightened and abandoned its red-shaded state. "She has this devilish heart tattoo somewhere around her abdomen."

"A tattoo, huh? I'm sure that'll help me narrow her down from the list of women named Evelynn in the database. Alright, I'll look into it." Vi flipped her notepad close and slipped both said item and her pen back to into her pocket. "I'll call you if I find anything."

"If you don't?"

Vi shrugged. "Then I'll text you. Whatever happens, I'll update you, no worries."

Somehow, knowing she found a possibility of discovering who Evelynn was and where she came from relieved Akali of some of nervousness towards the matter. Hopefully, her friend contacts her again with some good news. The sooner, the better.

"Thanks, Vi. Really, thanks. I know this might be too much, but I want you to know that I really appreciate it."

"Eh, no problem." Vi stood up and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Now get going, cuz I have to go back to my office to do some paperwork."

"You do paperwork?" Akali managed to tease as she stood up as well and let Vi walk her to the exit.

"Ugh, I know, right? Paperwork is _so _boring."

"Why are you stuck doing it though?"

"Cupcake has me on a tight leash." Vi muttered, rolling her eyes at her own words. "It's a pain in the ass, trust me."

"Heh, you love it though."

Vi scoffed half-heartedly, giving Akali a light punch on the arm once they were at the entrance of the station. "That sounds like me telling you that you _love_ having this Evelynn chick living with you."

Akali's face reddened yet again. "_U-Urusai_!"

Giving another snicker, Vi waved goodbye at Akali before turning away and heading back inside. Instead of heading to her office to do what she just said she needed to do, she practically retraced her steps and went back to her boss' office, who she was quite excited in telling Akali's story to.

"Heh," Vi shook her head as she made her way to the Sheriff's office. "Zilean did it again. Can't wait to tell Cait."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

"I don't know what to do, honestly."

"I thought you were going to start your own religion."

"You're being too loud, Rakan."

"Those things aside, how do you feel right now?"

At one of the tables found outside a coffee shop, three beautiful ladies, one charming gentlemen and one huge, thick-furred dog could be found having what seemed to be an intense discussion concerning a problem that involved one of the women in the group.

"I'm surprised you three managed to make time again." Evelynn replied, which didn't exactly answer the initial query.

Karma softly sighed. "Evelynn, please. Don't dodge the question."

"I'm not." Evelynn nonchalantly said, taking her cup of coffee from the table. "I'm just thinking out loud."

"Evelynn, we know you as much as you know us." Ashe started, eyeing the goddess with a mildly disappointed look. "There's no use in hiding."

Evelynn scoffed and leaned back, drinking from her coffee as her gaze avoided the two women's own. "I'm fine."

"We wouldn't be here if that was the case, y'know." Rakan said, slinging his right arm over his own chair's backrest as he leaned back as well. "Come on, Evie. Tell us what's wrong."

"Arf! Arf!" Willump, who Evelynn offered to walk for Nunu before leaving the apartment, barked in agreement, his leash, which had one end wound around the goddess' wrist, being lightly tugged by his motion.

"This was just supposed to be those typical dog walks." Evelynn muttered, glancing at the pet she had with her. "Not another _'creation get-togethers'_."

"Surprise, surprise though, it somehow is. Here, have some more coffee." Rakan said with his usual energy, raising a finger at Evelynn before said digit to gently push the coffee closer. "Soooo, come on! Spill the beans already."

While Ashe sighed at Rakan's somewhat silly attempt in prying, Karma stayed quiet and just sipped on her own warm drink. Despite the blond's choice and manner of interaction, it still succeeded in getting to Evelynn, who sighed and surprisingly decided to open up to them for yet another time.

"As usual, it's Akali again."

"Feeling unneeded again?" Ashe guessed, a knowing look on her face.

Evelynn nodded. "Akali wants the company of her _family_, not mine."

"Maybe you're just being too forward." Karma pointed out.

"Too forward? How?"

"Wellllll, she _did _see you walking around her apartment without any clothes on, sooo..." Rakan tilted his head left and right. "...it's kinda understandable from her place."

Ashe hummed. "First impressions _do_ last."

"They're really hard to get rid of, trust me." Rakan added in agreement.

"She can just go home, then." Evelynn said rather dismissively, placing her coffee on the table and crossing her arms in front of her after. "Why stay here if she feels lonely? Can't she just go home and have this loneliness problem dealt with?"

Karma frowned at Evelynn's thinking. "Dear, you of all people know why she's here. This is the career she always wanted ever since she was young, correct?"

Evelynn quietly grunted.

"Why not support her, then? I'm sure she'd appreciate the thought."

"It's hard to support someone who doesn't even want you to exist in their life." Instead of sounding so hateful and furious, Evelynn sounded more like she was completely crestfallen with what she stated. "I feel like everything I do is for nothing. That she thinks it's nothing. That _I'm _nothing."

"Every one of us used to think like that, Evelynn." Ashe softly stated, an understanding gleam in her cerulean gaze. "And yes, even Karma went through _that_ kind of phase. It might not be as intense as ours, but it's still the same case."

"Besides," Rakan cut in. "it's only been two days ever since you _officially_ came to her life. Don't you think it's too early to give up?"

Evelynn sighed heavily, visibly slacking on her chair. It took her a long moment to think about their conversation and what else could she say to uplift her own down-hearted spirit.

A sigh once again.

"I told her I was hoping she'll eventually trust me. Enough to tell me what's wrong and what she might be troubled with."

"And what did she say?" The three chorused with their inquiry.

"She asked me why I was hoping for something like that." Evelynn stopped herself from giving yet another sigh by shaking her head the emotionally painful memory. "And I told her without hope, I'd be nothing."

"And?" Rakan prodded, too impatient to be kept in suspense.

"And nothing. She just walked away after making an excuse about her not being hungry."

"Oh..."

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

"What an asshole." Came Rakan's comment.

"Rakan!" Karma and Ashe scoldingly glared at the mentioned man, who raised his hands in immediate surrender.

"What? It's true!" Rakan defended himself, keeping his hands up in front of him. "I mean, who the hell just walks away after someone says something so deep?"

"Alright, I suppose what she did wasn't the greatest way to handle such a serious matter." Ashe admitted in the end, while Karma silently scolded Rakan by giving him a light swat on the arm, which resulted in the mentioned blond giving a sharp _"Ow!"_ from the side.

"She made me so sensitive with my feelings when she created me, and _that's _how she treats me?" Evelynn huffed to herself, lips shaped in frown. "It would've been much better if it was just irritating, but no, of course not. It actually needs to hurt me, doesn't it?"

Ashe sighed and offered a sympathetic look across the table. "It always hurts in the beginning."

Evelynn opened her mouth to utter a protest, but when she met Ashe's gaze, her objection vanished and her lips pursed close eventually. A quiet breath left her as she averted her eyes from the white-haired woman, unable to retaliate against the latter.

Karma, who noticed the wordless yet meaningful exchange between the two, decided to usher Rakan to stand up with her as she did such action before offering a hand to the siren. "Evelynn dear, how about Rakan and I take Willump to the park to do his business while you and Ashe have a talk of your own?"

"But I wanna talk with them, too!" Rakan whined, not at all getting Karma's intentions.

Despite his protests, Rakan stood up and sulkingly followed after Karma, who took Willump's leash from Evelynn. The goddess was left to watch her three fellow creations take their temporary leave, giving her and Ashe the time to have a one-on-one talk.

As much as she wanted to remain closed off from the others, especially due to the fact that she wasn't made to be open so easily, Evelynn forfeited in silence and chose to start asking questions that might be able to help her win Akali's acceptance at least.

"What did you do?" Came her out of the blue query, eyes flicking at Ashe's direction momentarily.

"What do you mean?"

"What did you do for Katarina to love you?"

"She didn't love me at first, Evelynn. You know that."

"Yet she loves you _now_." Evelynn countered back, face morphing into slight grimace. "What did you do?"

Ashe sighed, adjusting herself on her seat. "It was never easy, believe me. Love never is."

"I'm honestly feeling desperate here. Nearly hopeless, even." Evelynn reached into her pocket, withdrawing a familiar piece of folded paper and raising it until it was between her and Ashe. "If it weren't for this _thing_, then I'd probably be gone by now."

"I know, and we've all been...-"

"Can you please stop it with that? I know what all of you have been through. Now what I want to know is how do I last through this torture I'm being put through?"

Ashe stared at Evelynn, gaze clear with the contemplation and fingers tapping on the surface of the table in a slow fashion. The whole staring contest lasted for more than a minute, but just by their mere looks, they were communicating.

Evelynn's ambers were filled with plea mixed with the feeling of being frightened by the possibilities of the future waiting for her. It was a gaze that probably would've melted even the coldest heart that ever existed, so it was no wonder the woman in front of her succumbed to it, especially when Evelynn said something she deeply related to.

"I don't want to live in fear."

"No one does." Ashe softly replied, reaching forward and placing a hand over the same one Evelynn held the paper in. "It's fear. It's always _frightening_."

"Then tell me how to overcome it." Evelynn wasn't demanding. She was pleading for a solution. Something to at least numb the pain she was continuously receiving.

"Zilean made you for a reason, Evelynn. No matter how much you go through, know that there's a reason behind everything."

Evelynn clenched her teeth, feeling like Ashe wasn't understanding her. "Let me just make this clear, Ashe. She does _not _want me."

"Even if she did, do you really think the things that people want are the things they _need_?" Ashe asked back in a hard tone. "People are selfish. It's in our nature. Some are smart enough to change such trait, even if it's a little bit, but some are just too consumed by the desires within them. With so many things they crave for, how do you expect them to know what's truly theirs to deservingly take and have?"

Evelynn's gaze remained fixated on the tabletop, eyes drifting to the pale hand on top of hers. It offered her the comfort she needed and the owner of it was the only person that could possibly relate to her the most. Reacting aggressively and sputtering out words full of hate, frustration and depression wasn't the right way to reciprocate in their conversation.

"You are _not _a mistake, Evelynn." Ashe told her with enough reassurance to ease her weeping heart. "Nothing and _no one _is."

A shaky breath, while those amber crystals continued staring at their hands. "I... I don't want to leave Akali. I want to stay with her. Possibly right _by_ her, if she would let me. I don't know how long I could last. How long _she _will let me last."

Ashe sighed quietly, giving her hand a squeeze. "I think it's only right for you to put the plan we suggested into motion."

"You want me to live a lie?"

"Akali made you a goddess, didn't she? It's time for you to live up to your title."

"And create my own religion?" Was her somewhat sarcastic query. The notion was crazy, yet here they were contemplating in doing such idea.

Ashe lightly scoffed, shaking her head as she leaned back and rephrased the words the other woman had uttered. She smiled once their eyes met, already planning inside her head what she could do to lend her fellow creation the assistance she needed.

"I prefer the term creating your _lifeline_."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Okay, hey there! Got a bit fed up with so much NSFW prompts I've been writing, so I figured I could go and finish this chapter for a change of pace. :3
> 
> I know it's not like my 10000+ words chapters, especially like the ones in "We Found Love", but here it is! This chapter is to mostly set up what Evelynn will be doing to keep herself alive and for her to not be so dependent on Akali's belief of her existence.
> 
> That, and Vi and Akali's interaction here hinted not only a couple of things about the Deputy but also the outcome of the favor Akali asked for initially.
> 
> So, with all that said, I look forward in writing the next chapter and hopefully, it'll be done sooner than usual! ^^
> 
> I can't really guarantee when I'll update again, but I'll try my best to be more productive and bring more Akalynn and other League content! 
> 
> Till my next update~ ^3^


	5. Chapter 5

**ACT 5**

To say that her Christmas vacation has been _odd_ would be an understatement. An old man approaching her only to ask for a description of a person out of her imagination, the said character coming to life and walking around naked in her apartment, claiming she was created by the drawing artist herself. Well, everything was just a rollercoaster, wasn't it?

Not to mention the scene she and the mentioned creation was involved in at the ice cream parlor, and of course the icing on the cake here was their most recent conversation. It wasn't exactly lighthearted or something so easily brushed off and forgotten.

Akali huffed as she took a look at the time in her wristwatch, while her hand firmly gripped the handle above her head. She was in a bus and on her way to work. Presenting a new character to the board sure was a great way to start the new year. That is, if she succeeds.

Throughout the remainder of her holiday vacation, Akali spent it all in finishing her work project. Even when the brand new year rolled in, she was planted on her chair in her makeshift study in her apartment and was adding a bunch of details here and there for her presentation.

As for Evelynn, Akali didn't really know where the woman was during that time. Ever since their serious conversation the other day, hers and Evelynn's interactions were put to a minimum. Akali did buy some groceries on her way from the police station and from that day forward, Evelynn had started cooking proper meals for her.

Sure, she and the goddess would be in the same room while they ate their meals, but the noise that could mostly be heard came from whatever show they were watching on the television. Akali would say thanks for the food and the effort Evelynn clearly made, and she would also offer to do the dishes, only to be politely declined by the other woman.

So far though, they have _not_ spoken about their latest... confrontation? Is that the right word to describe it?

Regardless, because of such, Akali could really feel the tension growing within her little by little. Evelynn seemed to be unaffected, but the artist knew there's something more to it, especially if she were to count the contemplative look Evelynn always wore whenever she did the dishes.

Akali would sometimes catch Evelynn with a guilty look in her amber eyes, but she never really worked up the courage where it came from. It wasn't a surprise she was unable to do the latter, since she couldn't even be brave enough to apologize for being so harsh with the siren initially.

Clearly, the presentation today wasn't the only thing occupying her mind. Additionally, she took notice of how Evelynn didn't seem to be so eager in bugging her anymore. In fact, the goddess would always say she would take their neighbor's dog, Willump, for a walk and whenever she came back, she'd always have at least one or two bags with new stuff inside. Mainly necessities, but some were admittedly fashionable clothing.

When Akali had managed to gather enough courage to query about it, she was told that it came and was brought from a friend who was nice enough to get her some additional things and was assisting her in finding a job for her to finally move out of the apartment.

Akali sighed as she hopped out of the bus, walking down the sidewalk and to the direction where her workplace can be found. She held her projects with one arm, while her right hand adjusted the sling of her bag on her shoulder. When she finally arrived at the designated building and was able to get in a not so packed elevator, Akali was left to think about the latest activity in her home.

_'She's acting stranger than usual.'_ Akali thought as the image of Evelynn fleeted across her mind.

During the time when new year struck, she was so focused on her work that she even missed dinner. Although she could vaguely recall Evelynn peeking in her little office and notifying her that she had finished cooking already, she had merely given a half-hearted reply and wasn't even completely conscious about what she had said.

By the time she decided to stop her work, it was already nearing three o'clock in the morning. When she left her office and chose to check on her roommate, she found the woman sleeping peacefully on the sofa, while there was a full meal fitting for one person waiting for her on the small kitchen island.

There were _maki_ rolls, spicy _udon_ and of course a plate of _sukiyaki_, and when Akali got a taste of each type of food, she felt like she was back home in Ionia. It tasted just like how her parents would make it for her. It made her feel awfully nostalgic as she ate everything Evelynn had prepared for her.

"Akali!"

"Oof!"

Akali nearly stumbled and fell forward when one of her co-workers abruptly slung their entire self over her shoulders, giving her side a little nudge before walking alongside her with one arm around her shoulders. She turned her head to her right and shot a half-hearted glare at her colleague, who grinned back and flashed a peace sign in return.

"Ekko." She practically grumbled, the small smile on her face contradicting the mild irritation in her voice.

"You finished your project?"

"Yeah."

"Then, you ready for the big presentation?"

Akali sighed as she let her friend lead them to her workstation. "As much as I'll ever be. You?"

"Yep. Really excited to present this new character I made." Ekko replied, his grin becoming more excited as he proceeded to tell Akali about his own project. "I took inspiration from Mr. Reveck's idea when he based a cool character from his daughter."

"So your character's a cyborg?"

"More like a sentinel." Ekko corrected with a little wink. "But yeah, he's kinda like that. Oh, and his name's _Blitzcrank_."

"Blitzcrank?"

"Yeah! He has this cool ability to grab people from far away, speed up for a little chase, punch enemies up in the air when they're near _and_ shock everything and everyone around them."

"Huh, sounds pretty cool." Akali started placing her stuff on her desk upon their arrival before doing a finger-gun gesture at her friend. "He sounds like a character a lot of people would hate to fight against."

Ekko shrugged, grin still on his face. "Exactly my goal."

While Akali settled onto her workstation and prepared everything she'd need on top of her desk, Ekko idled right beside her swivel chair, admiring the character doodles posted on Akali's small bulletin board.

"What about your character? Anything awesome you wanna share?"

"Oh, uh, well..." Akali always had a difficult time in styling her naturally wild hair, but right now, she was thankful it was thick enough to cover most of her face, which colored with a light red shade, from Ekko.

Due to Evelynn's abrupt arrival into her life, Akali ended up drafting her first idea, which was to make this ruthless female ninja that ran away from her dojo after having this huge disagreement towards her master's ways. Instead of the described character, she chose to go way back to her past drawings, which turned out to be specifically Evelynn.

Overnight, she thought about the abilities of the goddess. One of the first things she immediately thought of was a charming ability, which allows the vixen to beguile anyone that has ever laid eyes on her. It's an ability she based from experience, after all. Eventually, the other powers came to her one after another as she brainstormed and long story short, she created an immensely detailed yet vastly different drawing of Evelynn.

As much as Akali didn't want to think about the goddess, she couldn't exactly get the beauty out of her head. No matter how much she tried rummaging through the ideas inside her head, it always led back to the magenta-haired woman.

Clearing her throat and shifting on her seat, Akali started with, "Her name's Evelynn and I call her the _'Agony's Embrace'_."

"Whoa, sounds mysterious." Ekko reacted with genuine awe. "And hot."

"Really, Ekko?"

"What? I mean, listen to her title. _Agony's Embrace_? Kinda sounds like those dangerous demons in fantasy stories."

Akali eventually shrugged in forfeit. "Alright, fine, I guess it's kind of like that."

"Where'd you get the inspiration from?"

"Oh, that..."

"I'm sure it came from the woman with her the other day." Came a man's baritone voice from behind her.

Akali spun her chair around, both her and Ekko spotting the head of the music development department, Yasuo. The man was leaning on the nearby pillar of foundation, left hand buried in his pocket while he lazily waved with his right.

"Mister Yasuo." Akali and Ekko greeted in unison, while the mentioned man shook his head at them.

"What did I say about calling me that? Drop the whole _'Mister'_ thing if it's just us. It makes me feel old." Yasuo said, smiling. "And before you ask why I know about the woman, Akali, Kayn told me about it."

"He did?"

Without hesitation, Yasuo shook his head and said, "No, not really. I was the one who spotted you and your friend in the first place."

"Oh."

"You have a roommate?" Ekko asked Akali, giving her a light nudge on the shoulder. "You didn't tell us you had one."

"Must've slipped my mind. After all, I _was_ working on something important." Akali cracked at Ekko with a pinch of sarcasm, earning a small push on the shoulder from the said guy.

"That girl you were with," Yasuo began, half-heartedly gesturing with his free hand. "what's her name?"

Akali made a face at the older man, while Ekko grinned and decided to tease with, "Don't tell us, you have a crush on her, don't you?"

Yasuo stared back at Ekko, unimpressed. "As if Taliyah will let me date around. Plus, I'm not exactly looking for any sort of romance right now."

"Oh, right..." Ekko laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "How're things with you and Miss Riven?"

"Horrible."

"Ah."

Akali chose to stay out of the conversation between the two, not wanting to join Ekko in the hot water he had put himself in. No one in the office would ever dare ask about Yasuo and his marriage with his wife, Riven. The couple married a few months after graduating college and had been together for three, almost four, years and had adopted two children, Taliyah and Soraka.

For the past year though, rumour has it that the two have been encountering a couple of problems. Some even say their marriage was on the way to the direction of divorce and that the only thing stopping such thing were their adoptive daughters.

Akali shook her head, blinking a few times before checking her project. She shouldn't think of anything else but her upcoming presentation. Not a single thought about her co-worker's marriage, how Ekko might get a long lecture from Yasuo or any detail that might involve Evelynn.

All she needed to think about was the character she designed...

Akali groaned, rubbing a hand over her face.

...which she modeled after Evelynn herself.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Dressed in a simple black form-fitting dress with an off-shoulder neckline that was low enough to show a small yet tempting amount of cleavage, Evelynn had her legs crossed as she tapped her fingers on the tabletop, her red lips taking most of the attention of the passersby outside.

Seated at one of the tables beside the window of the coffee shop she's currently at, Evelynn allowed her eyes to wander around her as she tried seeking for what her fellow creation mentioned. Speaking of which, behind the amber-eyed beauty, Ashe and Rakan can be found sharing the neighbouring table with their cups of coffee.

"Anyone will do?"

Ashe hummed from behind her, sipping from her drink before speaking without turning to face the goddess. "Yes. A person's belief _is_ belief. It might not be the one you want, but right now, it's what you need."

Evelynn sighed as she gazed down to her own cup of caffeine. She may not agree with this method completely, and she also knew the others didn't find it appealing, but it was the only way for her to keep herself rooted in reality.

"Ooh, candidate number one, coming right up!" Rakan excitedly whispered, his words loud enough to at least reach Evelynn's sense of hearing.

Lifting her head up, she met the first person that worked up the courage to approach her and actually talk to her rather than just stare at her enchanting appearance. Evelynn offered a small but charming smile once her eyes met the man's, whose cheeks immediately colored with a shade of pink.

"Hey there."

"Hello." Evelynn greeted back, maintaining her cool and casual posture.

"You here alone or are you waiting for a friend?"

"Oh, I'm just enjoying the day by myself." Evelynn then engaged eye contact, trapping the man in her charm. "Maybe you can change the last part. Care to keep me company?"

"Yeah, of course." The stranger smiled broadly. "I'd be _honored _to offer some company to a beautiful woman like you."

Evelynn didn't need to turn and look over her shoulder to know that Ashe and Rakan had just stood up and wordlessly told her that they're going to take their leave. They both knew she could handle the situation. Heck, Evelynn herself knew she could charm this man to the very end if she wanted to.

That's not what she _truly _wanted though.

Out of everyone in the entire world, Evelynn wanted to enjoy this warm afternoon with Akali. She could easily envision them both sitting at the very table she was occupying, enjoying their coffee as they laughed and smiled at whatever topic they'd discuss. If it were up to her, she would want nothing more but to hear Akali talk about her day and smile at her with the same fondness she felt towards her office crush.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

The man was already seated across her, and it took Evelynn a short moment for her to realize that she had openly allowed him to do so. She was also speaking with him about how she's new to the city and how he was willing to tour her around if she had the time to spare.

Light brown hair brushed back, a lean body hiding underneath his clothing, light green eyes glimmering against the reflection of the sun and a smile that can be considered award-winning, the guy was honestly quite the catch.

He's no Akali though.

Their conversation lasted until the man tried asking for her number, only for Evelynn to turn the tables and ask for _his_ number in return. She easily passed off an excuse about losing her phone and that she'd just call him if ever she wanted to take him up on his offer.

Pleased with how he handled everything and showed an acceptable first impression to Evelynn, he seemed to be more confident than earlier when he told the goddess that he'll be waiting for her call before finally saying goodbye and excusing himself to go to work.

After flashing her naturally enthralling smile and waving farewell, Evelynn was left to stare at the calling card given to her. The man seemed to be quite well-off, especially if she did hear right from their conversation. He had mentioned he did office work and was the reason why he's in the city initially.

Evelynn sighed as she tucked the card in her purse. It's the same one Karma had bought for her the other day when the woman took her out to buy some things for her.

Not even ten minutes later, another came and approached her table. This one's a woman though. Long black hair, striking grey eyes and a million dollar smile ready to charm the siren back. Evelynn prepared herself for another conversation, but regardless of how she looks to be enraptured by the woman's voice, she still couldn't stop half of her mind from thinking about a certain artist.

Her latest companion was honestly a real beauty and her eyes were admittedly stunning, but Evelynn still couldn't compare it to Akali's face. Bright azure eyes, brownish red hair that looked as wild as the artist herself and the adorable grin Evelynn oh so badly wanted to see personally. Her creator was just beyond compare in her eyes.

The whole process lasted until seven o'clock in the evening. Although Evelynn didn't stay at the coffee shop throughout the entire day, she did roam around the streets and eventually ended up at the same mall Akali had taken her to. Regardless, there was still a handful of people that was courageous enough to approach her and give their attempt in genuinely capturing her interest.

No one did succeed completely, but they always did leave their name and number with her everytime they parted. Her _'lost phone'_ story always did work, so she didn't need to think about other reasons whenever she's asked for her contact details.

On the bright side here though, one of the people that had approached her was involved with a bunch of modeling agencies. It was probably the only thing Evelynn found useful throughout everything she had done.

Yes, she did garner more than a little count of people that wanted nothing more but to get close to her, but it still didn't feel right. The feeling of fear was gone and the weakening sensation idling within her diminished significantly, yet Evelynn felt like she was _betraying_ Akali.

No commitment was made with any of the people she had interacted with, but it was still something that bothered her. She and Akali didn't exactly have anything with one another other but the fact that she came from her imagination and was made real by an Eternal.

Eventually, she came back to her creator's apartment. She intended to call the modeling scout tomorrow to see if she could get a job, so it's probably best to go home and prepare everything she'd need to apply for a job.

Evelynn had literally just exited through the front entrance of the mall when a police cruiser stopped right at the main driveway the moment it was free. She slightly squinted her eyes as the tinted window rolled down and revealed bright pink hair and a tattooed face knowingly smiling at her.

Upon realization on who it was, Evelynn approached the vehicle and stood right beside the driver's side, meeting the violet crystals fixated on her with a touch of amusement.

"Need a lift home, Eve?"

She might not admit it, but it actually felt nice seeing a fellow creation.

"Much appreciated, Vi."

Zilean must be really looking out for her, especially since Vi herself told her about the said Eternal once she was inside. Apparently, the man knew she'd be encountering a huge difficulty in getting Akali to trust her like how the others got their respective creators to trust them. Here he was in some way, using the creations to lend Evelynn all the support and assistance she would need.

Seated at the front seat of the cruiser as the Deputy of the city drove down the street, Evelynn was given the chance to talk to the pinkette, who she sensed was not yet telling her something. She didn't want to pry though.

"How's Caitlyn?"

"Oh, she's awesome." Vi said, shaking her head as she snickered to herself. "...Okay, maybe not really."

"Oh?"

"You know her, she gets jealous easily." Vi briefly spared a wink at Evelynn. "I told her about you. How you're the new creation and that your creator made you a goddess, stuff like that."

"And she's jealous?"

Vi shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time two creations fell in love with one another."

"You told her about that?"

"She knows everything, cuz I _tell _her everything. We're like, super transparent with one another." Vi emphasized, sounding rather proud of herself. "She knows about how Senna left her husband for Lucian, how Jarvan eloped with Shyvana and how Sivir and Kai'Sa fell in love with one another."

"Out of all the people you mentioned, the only circumstance where two creations fell in love with each other is Kai'Sa and Sivir."

"Exactly, and that's enough for Caitlyn to be more than a bit worried about how you might charm me into your loving arms."

The little chuckle Vi managed to coax out of her was like a breath of fresh air. She needed a laugh, and although it wasn't a loud one, it was enough to put a genuine smile on her face.

"She and I should meet next time."

"And let her see how she could get someone better than me? Yeah, thanks, but no thanks."

Evelynn tittered again, giving Vi a light poke on the shoulder. "And here I thought Caitlyn was the possessive one."

Vi half-heartedly glared at her for a second. "It runs in the relationship."

"That's actually a thing?"

"It is now."

This time, Vi succeeded in getting a small laugh from the siren, who was more than thankful for such. The sincere smile on her face idled on her lips as she shook her head at her friend's reactions.

"Enough about me and Cait." Vi started, officially shifting their current talk's topic. "How's Akali treating you?"

"Well, it could honestly be much worse."

"How worse?"

"She could kick me out of her apartment if she wanted to."

"...Nah, I don't think she'll do that."

"How are you so sure though?"

"Trust me, she's not cruel. From what I've been told, she at least believes the fact that you have nowhere to go if she does that. Although, if she _does _kick you out, feel free to crash in mine and Cait's house."

"As if your possessive, little Sheriff would allow that." Evelynn teased, uselessly hiding her smile behind her fingers.

"...Okay, scratch my place off the list. I'll talk to Ashe or Karma. Pretty sure they'll be more than happy to offer you their apartment's couch."

Evelynn shook her head at Vi, chuckling softly. "You abandoned me so easily. I feel so wounded."

"But seriously though, Eve," Vi chose to bring them back to her initial question. "how are you feeling lately?"

Evelynn sighed as she let her eyes trail to the car window at her side, the lights they passed reflecting beautifully in those amber orbs. "I honestly feel... lost."

"Lost?"

"Lost _and_ hurt." Evelynn's smile gradually faded into a frown as she stared absently, recalling the people she had recently made the acquaintance of. "There's also this part of me that feels like I'm doing something wrong. There's this _guilt _that just won't leave me."

"I think I know why."

Eyes still fixated on the scenery outside the vehicle, Evelynn responded back half a distractedly. "Why?"

"Akali made you a goddess and a goddess needs followers, worshippers and what not. But," Vi took a breath before sighing out loud. "you don't want that, do you?"

Being followed and adored by dozens, maybe even hundreds or thousands of people that would want nothing more but to give and wish the best for her was a tempting thought if one was the type to be entirely self-centered and thirsty for attention.

Even if she did take all of that and embraced it as her destiny in this modern world, it wouldn't have done anything but to tide her loneliness over until she realizes that she wasn't _living_. She was just surviving.

What is life if you cannot live it?

"...No, I don't."

Vi then sighed again, hearing the quiet reply from the other woman. "You're a goddess alright, but let's face it. Even if you gained the belief of more than a million people, you'd trade it all just for one. Akali's."

"Without question."

"Exactly. Evelynn, I know what you're doing is what's best for you, but maybe you don't have to go overboard with it."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't get me wrong though. Out of everything, your plan is as good as it gets and I can see why the others support it, but maybe I can help you add a bit of twist in it? Or maybe help you pick up the pace?"

Evelynn looked at Vi with confusion written all over her face, which made the pinkette scratch the back of her head. She didn't really know what to think about Vi's words, but she knew the Deputy had a point to make in the end.

"You can still go around and maybe meet people like you're doing lately, _but_ you should start working your way until you move out of the apartment." Vi began, internally hoping she wouldn't screw up her explanation. "Financially speaking, once you're standing on your own two feet, it's much easier to get around the situation."

"And by that you mean...?"

"Continue what you're doing in getting your _'believers'_, but as soon as you have what it takes, start wooing Akali."

"Wooing?" Evelynn let out a little scoff of disbelief. "You want me to court her?"

"Yeah."

"What am I supposed to give her? I don't have the means...-"

"Exactly why you need a job." Vi pointed out, taking the folder on the dashboard and handing it to Evelynn. "These are all the paperwork and IDs you'd need. Cait helped me forge them."

The folder was taken and its contents were reviewed by the goddess, but her confusion was still there. She returned her gaze to Vi as she asked, "If she doesn't even want me in the first place, then why should I court her?"

"You literally appeared in her life like a temptress about to pounce on her prey, of course she won't want you now." Vi stated with a little gesture of her hand. "Start from the bottom, y'know? Court her. Give her little things like flowers or whatever it is she's into. Talk to her. That's the most important thing here."

"I already know everything about her."

"This is the part where you leave that 'I know everything' crap behind. Let her tell them to you. Get her to open up willingly."

"You want me to act as if I don't know _anything _about her?"

"Uh-huh, that's right. It's much better to get your creator to voluntarily say something about them instead of making them think you're an extremely weird stalker."

"Did Caitlyn initially think you were a stalker?"

"Yeah..." Vi's cheeks became a bit red in return, her gaze averting as she coughed quietly. "You wouldn't want Akali to think the same thing now, would you?"

Evelynn huffed, obviously disappointed that she wouldn't have a shortcut to take her to the point where she and Akali could just live happily ever after. It was annoying, but it was only sensible for her to take this step by step.

"Are you _absolutely _sure that this would help me win her heart?"

"Oh come on, Eve." The car halted at the corner found at one end of the block where Akali's apartment building can be found, which wordlessly told Evelynn that this was as far as Vi could go. "You're already a dream come true for her, aren't you? All you need to do now is make sure the word _'dream'_ doesn't become a nightmare."

"You make it sound so simple."

"That's because it is."

With the desire to just envelop Akali in her arms and take her lips for a wild ride with her own, the urge to convey her love for her creator was strong and immense. But, if she really does wanted this whole thing to turn out the way she's been hoping to, there's only one thing she could do now.

Make sure her patience doesn't run out and hope that she was capable of holding herself back for both their sake.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Blue eyes stared across the fair-sized kitchen island where the food she recently bought was laid out. They were all bought from the fancy restaurant where she and her colleagues went out to eat and celebrate for the success of their presentations.

Akali smiled to herself as she recalled how the board was immensely pleased with the character she had presented. They loved the concept and everything else that came with it, prompting them to give their approval with grins and a big thumbs up to the drawing artist.

Now, Akali might not be as close to Evelynn as she is with Ekko or her other friends, but she figured she could share some of the happiness with the woman. After all, her entire project was based on the goddess herself.

Since Evelynn still wasn't home, she seated herself on one of the stools and fiddled with her phone. While randomly browsing through the internet, a wide smile was once again shaping her lips. Instead of her recent success, all she could think about now was how her crush had just asked her out for lunch tomorrow.

Yes, that's right. Shieda Kayn, one of her fellow illustrators, had asked her out on a lunch date!

Akali sighed in content. Her day was honestly amazing and hopefully, she would end it with her and Evelynn smoothing out things between them.

_"Hey there." Kayn greeted as he sat beside Akali while she waited for her turn to be called into the room to give her presentation. _

_"Oh, hey!"_

_"Listen, I know I was really quick in making my exit the last time we saw each other and that was, well, really lame. And kinda pathetic, if you ask me."_

_Akali lightly laughed as she waved a hand. "You give yourself way less credit than I thought you would."_

_"Heh, yeah..." Kayn smiled a bit sheepishly, rubbing his nape as he did. "Well, I'm here now and I definitely remember your name this time."_

_"Congratulations." Akali teased, snickering._

_"Yeah, yeah, laugh it off. I was a little nervous last time, okay? Give the guy a break." Kayn laughed a little before he cleared his throat and asked, "So, Akali, would you like to go out for lunch tomorrow?"_

_"Tomorrow? What, like a group lunch or just you and me?"_

_"Just you and me."_

_"Like a date?"_

_Kayn chuckled. "Yeah, like a date."_

_"Oh... Oh! Wait, seriously?"_

_Again, Kayn gave a chuckle. "Is this your way of saying no?"_

_"No, no, no...-!"_

_Kayn raised an eyebrow, but his smile remained. "No?"_

_"No! I mean...! Yes, yeah, sure! I'd love to go out with you!"_

_"I'd love to go out with me, too." Kayn couldn't help but crack a joke, earning him a playful punch on the arm._

_"Shut up, or else I'm taking back my answer."_

_Chuckling once again, Kayn raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, okay, you win."_

_ **Click! Slam!** _

Akali snapped out of her daydream and swiftly got off the stool, taking only a couple of steps to check on who it was that had just entered her apartment. Her eyes were quick to spot Evelynn, who was locking the front door behind her before proceeding deeper into the apartment unit.

"Hey."

Evelynn, whose eyes were fixated on the folder she had in hand, raised her head, a smile immediately sculpting her lips once she made eye contact with the artist. "Hello."

"I bought some food here for you."

"You did?" The question sounded genuinely surprised with a hint of elation and Akali probably would have noticed it if she listened much closely. "For me?"

Akali's felt her cheeks grow warm a tad bit. Evelynn sounded as if she had just bought her a brand new car. Was she really that grateful that she bought her some take-out?

"Yeah." Akali offered a small but sincere smile. "Have you eaten already though? You don't have to eat this tonight if you already have."

Evelynn shook her head, lightly placing the folder on the sofa before she opened her coat and slipped it off. As she relieved herself of the coverage, she was oblivious with how Akali stared at her current attire.

"I haven't." Evelynn replied as she hung her coat right beside Akali's at the attached hooks on the nearby wall. "But, I'd very much appreciate it if you'd eat dinner with me."

"Oh, uh, I already ate." Akali replied, blinking hurriedly as she removed her gaze from Evelynn's outfit, which was doing a splendid job in stealing her attention.

"Keep me company, then?"

The hopeful look she received from the siren was enough to stun her into silence. She scratched the back of her head and refrained from meeting the woman's gaze, muttering, "Sure, I guess."

"Wonderful."

Seated beside one another, Akali avoided as much eye contact as she could as Evelynn ate the dinner she brought home. She would glance at the woman every now and then, but whenever she was caught, she'd merely receive a smile that caused her to blush lightly.

"This food is really good." Evelynn commented after chewing. "Thank you for bringing them home for me."

"No problem." Akali murmured, eyes still evading the goddess' gaze. Although she wasn't used to the part that was about to follow, Akali knew she had to give yet another apology. Clearing her throat, she started with, "Evelynn, listen. About what happened the other day..."

Evelynn shook her head, waving a hand to shush Akali before she could proceed. Once she swallowed the food she had in her mouth, she shifted on her stool and faced her. "No need for apologies. All is well, no one was hurt, everything's fine now."

"Evelynn...-"

"Akali," The siren cut off with a smile, also giving the other's shoulder a small squeeze. "you can never do wrong. Not in my eyes, at least."

"Can you just..." Akali sighed and turned to fully face Evelynn. "Let me say sorry, okay? What we were talking about a few days ago was really serious and I shouldn't have walked out. I may not know you for a long time, but what I do know is that everybody deserves at least a bit of respect, and that includes you."

"Apology accepted, then."

Even though she got the forgiveness she was asking for, Akali still felt like there was something missing. She raised her head and stared back at Evelynn, who met her gaze with a curious gleam. Clearly, Akali knew what that particular something is.

"Evelynn,"

"Hmm?" The goddess looked so cool and carefree, but Akali knew that would soon change.

"I... heard you. Saw you, even."

Evelynn's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"That day, when we spoke about me being lonely and my family." Akali quietly reminded. "I knew you cried after I walked out."

"...I'm sorry."

Akali's eyes widened, taken aback by the sudden apology. "Wait, what? Why are _you_ saying sorry? If anything, it's supposed to be the other way around."

"No, no, it's..." Evelynn sighed as she placed her fork down and entirely faced the artist. "It's my fault. I shouldn't be so _persistent_, especially since I literally just came into your life. I don't reserve the right to just do what I want to do."

"Hey, listen." Akali reached forward and placed a hand over one of Evelynn's. "You only wanted to comfort me that day. Talking about my family with someone I just met isn't really something I do on a daily basis. You were right about me feeling lonely and when you brought my family up, I.. I don't know, I just snapped."

Evelynn's gaze flickered to the hand resting over hers before returning to Akali's eyes. She flipped her hand over and brushed her thumb over Akali's skin. "If it makes you feel less guilty with yourself, then know that everything that happened that day is water under the bridge."

"You... You can't just forgive me like that."

"Why shouldn't I?"

Akali sighed. "Y'know what, I'll make it up to you. Once I get my paycheck this month, we can go and eat anywhere you'd like."

"Anywhere?"

"Mm-hm, anywhere." Akali gave a little grin and a wink as she took Evelynn's hand and squeezed it. "We may have started on the wrong foot, but that doesn't mean we can't change it and be friends at least."

Evelynn's cheeks reddened visibly, which she tried concealing by turning her head away. "...Don't do that."

"Eh? Don't do what?"

"Don't... Don't just grin and wink at me like that."

Akali blinked a bit owlishly. "What's wrong with that?"

"You look..." Evelynn covered her face with a hand, which she pulled away from Akali's grasp as she turned back to her food. "...Nevermind."

"I look like what?" Akali poked her head out to the side, hoping to capture Evelynn's gaze again. "Come on, tell me."

Evelynn shook her head and picked up her fork again. "Akali, please, just let it go."

Akali made a face. "But I wanna know."

Lightheartedly rolling her eyes, Evelynn turned her head to make eye contact, her free hand reaching out to give Akali's cheek a pinch. The artist gave a whine-like protest before she managed to pull her cheek away from Evelynn's fingers.

"Either you stop or I keep pinching your cheek."

"Okay, okay, I'll drop it."

And with that, the two settled in an idle conversation both parties enjoyed being involved in. While Akali felt more at ease with herself and around Evelynn, the latter couldn't ask for a different evening companion.

Unlike what she expected, even when Akali slowly but surely opened up to her about little details about herself, she wasn't bored by anything. In fact, she loved the feeling of being trusted and knowing things that her creator voluntarily told her. Despite knowing most of them, if not all, Evelynn felt like she was finally living instead of surviving.

_'I should thank Vi the next time I see her.'_

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Okay, I didn't really have plans in finishing this immediately, but when one of my favorite cosplayers @RachAsakawa from Twitter posted another Evelynn cosplay of hers, I couldn't stop myself from writing some Akalynn content. XD
> 
> So, now that Akali and Evelynn are somehow friends, what do you readers think will (or should) happen in the next chapter? :3
> 
> We'll probably find out in the next chapter! :D
> 
> Till my next update~


	6. Chapter 6

**ACT 6**

Minutes turned into hours and hours turned into days. Within those mentioned days, the two women grew closer little by little. Not every conversation was long or short, but each one was always enough for Akali and Evelynn to build a stable foundation with one another.

Every time Akali woke up in the morning, she wasn't as nervous as she once was whenever she left her room to check on her roommate. Every morning, Evelynn cooked her breakfast and sometimes even packed her some lunch, which was quite thoughtful of the woman.

Unlike before, Akali wasn't paranoid of having something stolen from her or if Evelynn would try anything that would cause her any harm or discomfort. Although they didn't start like how normal roommates would do, they still found a rhythm for their everyday routine.

Akali was genuinely surprised when Evelynn had approached her at the end of the month and had given her half a month's worth of rent. Only when the woman mentioned to her how she was doing a few small projects of modeling and odd jobs here and there whenever Akali was at work did she stop asking her questions about where the goddess obtained the money from.

"Hey, Evelynn?" Akali called out as she walked out of the bedroom, dressed in semi-formal attire.

"Going out today?" Evelynn, who was dressed in a much simpler outfit yet also seemed to be set in leaving the apartment, turned to her, hands busy in putting her hair in a low ponytail.

"Uh, yeah." Akali smiled, looking a bit sheepish as she said, "There's a company event today."

"That sounds nice. Where's it going to be held?"

"At this fancy hotel near the park."

"Looks like you have _quite_ the day ahead of you."

"Not just that, but the best part for me here is that I got assigned to the same table as Kayn."

"This Kayn man, you really like him, don't you?"

"Everyone does at work." Akali said with a little smile. "He's pretty hot, so it's kinda expected. I'm just lucky he seems to be showing some interest in me."

"Lucky you." Evelynn teased, the smile on her face looking all too convincing.

"I'll probably be back in a really late hour, so don't wait up, alright?"

"Okay."

"See ya, Evelynn."

"Careful on your way, darling."

The moment the door clicked close and Akali officially left the apartment, Evelynn released a deep sigh. She turned around and took the phone she had bought around a week ago. It was flooded with messages from the people she had went out on dates with for the past couple of weeks.

After she had contacted a few of the numbers she had acquired from her little trips around the city, Evelynn had established a routine for herself. She wasn't lying to Akali when she said she was doing a couple of modeling projects, but she wasn't entirely honest with her _'odd jobs'_ either.

With the ability of charming anyone she could ever yearn the attention of, Evelynn easily found herself mingling with people that were utterly willing to give her everything money could buy just to see her flash a smile at them and give them at least a small dose of attention.

Evelynn was literally overflowing with power due to the faithful beliefs of the people she interacted with. They really do believed she was a goddess sent from the Heavens to grant them the sight of a breathtaking smile and a taste of absolute pleasure.

Alcohol became one of her best friends. She used it to intoxicate whoever it was she's with and once they were absolutely hammered, she allowed them to take her back to their residence. With the ability to easily seduce and the power she gained from the people's beliefs, she was able to manipulate an individual's mind and create factitious memories that made them think they had spent the most unforgettable night with her.

Which now explains why Evelynn was receiving so many calls and messages, asking her if she wanted to go out for a date again.

While some of them were more tactful with their words, most of them, men and women alike, were straightforward and outright asked her if she desired another repeat of their _'steamy'_ sessions. Sessions that never happened in the first place.

Well, for Evelynn at least.

Sighing, Evelynn turned her phone off before slipping it in her pocket. She exited the apartment, locking it before she knocked on their neighbour's door. As expected, Lissandra answered and invited her in once they greeted one another.

For the past month, she had grown close with some of their neighbours, specifically Lissandra and Nunu. Since she regularly asked if she could spend some time with their dog, Willump, she built a form of bond with the mother and son in no time at all.

"Thank you for agreeing on such a short notice, Evelynn." Lissandra said as she led her into the apartment. "The work I'm handling is due tomorrow, so I couldn't take Nunu out to the park today."

"I'm sure he understands." Evelynn said with a small smile.

"He didn't at first. At least until I told him you said yes in taking him out instead."

Evelynn chuckled, following Lissandra towards the living room, where Nunu was already dressed for their walk in the park. Right beside him, Willump barked upon their arrival, running towards Evelynn and standing on his two hind legs.

"He really likes you." Nunu said, laughing as he watched Willump happily bark and wag his tail, paws being held with both of her hands.

While Lissandra took Nunu aside for a moment to lay out a couple of rules, Evelynn was led to a nearby armchair by Willump himself, who used his head to nudge her on the leg until she was seated. The dog placed its snout on her lap, looking up to her with its wide and adorable eyes.

People would normally see this as Willump acting cute and all, but Evelynn knew there was a message behind it. Reaching behind and scratching the back of his ear, she said, "I'm fine, Willump. Don't worry."

Willump whimpered, shifting ever so slightly on her lap.

"Akali and I are friends now." Evelynn murmured, glancing at Lissandra and Nunu, only to find the two still busy with their own talk. "And no, she's not making me cry anymore."

Willump's face changed and a low growl started emitting from him, teeth somewhat baring as he continued eyeing the goddess.

"Don't you growl at me." Evelynn said, giving Willump's nose a little tap with her finger. "She said sorry already and I've forgiven her."

The growling stopped, only for Evelynn to hear the white-furred dog huff and shake its head. Clearly, Willump himself hadn't forgiven Akali for making her cry.

Evelynn softly laughed, taking her own turn in shaking her head. She gave Willump a pat on the head before she reached for the leash on the coffee table and secured it on her furry friend's collar.

"You ready, Eve?" Nunu asked, bounding up to her with an excited grin.

"Ready when you are, dear." Evelynn replied, standing up and letting Nunu take her left hand and lead her back to the door.

Lissandra gave her a few reminders, specifically about not allowing Nunu in having more than _one_ ice cream if ever they came across the ice cream stall at the park. After reassuring the woman and receiving pocket money for their walk, Evelynn finally left the building with her two companions.

It only took them a couple of minutes to get to _Valoran Park_ and once they found a clearing big enough to run around at without disturbing anyone, Nunu was quick to withdraw Willump's frisbee from his backpack.

The moment Evelynn unhooked the leash from Willump, the dog immediately zoomed after Nunu, who called out to him as he ran across the clearing while waving the plastic disc in the air.

Evelynn was quite content just sitting there on a park bench, watching Nunu and Willump run around and play fetch. This gave her a break from all the pretending she had to do around not only the people she flirted with, but also Akali.

Hearing the artist swoon over Kayn wasn't exactly the greatest. It's similar to the feeling of hearing your own crush say they're in love, but instead of with you, it's with someone else. It may not affect her as much as it used to, but it still made her heart ache every now and then.

**"You can't exactly expect her to just fall in love with you right off the bat. These things take time." **Vi had told her when they met up again for a little lunch out a week ago.

Evelynn smiled to herself though, her negative thoughts diminishing when she recalled how charming Akali looked earlier. Donning a pair of black pants, a dark green blouse and a black blazer to go along with her brogues shoes, she was certainly a sight to see.

Oh, what more if Akali were to wear the complete suit and tie outfit? Evelynn herself would probably experience the feeling of swooning for the first time.

Meanwhile, at the _Grand Valoran Hotel and Suites_, which was right next to the park, an event was taking place. Apparently, the company of _Riot Games_ had rented one of the huge and lavish event rooms of the hotel and was holding a celebration for the successful launch of a game they had recently released.

In that very location, Akali can be found sharing a lighthearted conversation with her colleagues. Senna and Qiyana, the former being a prized Sound Engineer in the company and the latter being one of the new Level Designers, were also present along with Ekko, Kayn and Yasuo.

"Hey, have any of you heard of the reshuffling the board's doing?" Ekko asked after finishing some of the food he was eating from his plate.

"Is the board really serious about that?" Kayn asked, glancing between Yasuo and Senna.

"They think pairing the new hires with us old-timers would give them more chances to improve." Senna said, while Yasuo sighed and made a face.

"I don't know if I'll get angry at you for calling me an old-timer." Yasuo said with a shake of his head. "But hey, you called yourself old, too, so maybe I'll let this one slip."

Senna half-heartedly rolled her eyes at the man, giving him a light nudge on the arm. "Trying to act all young and cool in front of the newbies, huh? That's pretty typical of you, Yas."

While Yasuo gave Senna a little glare and a poke on the side, the others around them shared a round of laughter, which eventually infected the two. Once the laughing gradually died down and another topic was about to be opened, Qiyana abruptly elbowed Akali before nodding over Kayn's shoulder.

"Heads up. It's one of the board members."

Every one of them shifted on their seats and directed their focus to the man that approached them, who turned out to be Mr. Corin Reveck. The blond man smiled at them and asked if they were enjoying the party, which they all replied with smiles on their faces.

"It's amazing, Mr. Reveck."

"It's really awesome, sir!"

"Everything is wonderful, Mr. Reveck."

"The food is great, actually."

"One of the greatest company events I've been in, sir."

"Grand and great as always, sir."

Corin chuckled, pleased with their genuine answers. "Well, I know we're celebrating one of our project's success and I don't want to come off as a workaholic boss or anything, but I'm here to give most of you some news."

All six of them now had their attention focused on the board member, each and every one of them wearing their own versions of curious looks.

"I'm sure word has already gotten around, but I might as well ask. Have you all heard of the reshuffling?"

"We have, sir." Senna responded for the group.

"Ah, good, good." Corin replied, nodding. "To make this all quick, I'm just here to personally say that most of you will be under Miss Vayne's team starting next week, alright?"

"Most of us?" Akali and Ekko chorused unintentionally.

"Yes, you four, specifically." Corin said, gesturing at Akali, Ekko, Kayn and Qiyana. He turned glanced between Senna and Yasuo, saying, "As for you two, both of you will be coordinating with two teams. Miss Vayne's and Mr. Rodhe's."

While the most of them seemed to be fine with their new superiors, Ekko had his eyes wide as he stared back at Corin, who then took notice of his facial expression. He raised an eyebrow at the young man, gesturing for him to say what was on his mind.

"You're really putting us in Miss Vayne's team?"

"What's wrong with her team?"

"She's really _uptight_!"

Corin couldn't help but laugh at Ekko's reasoning. "Come now, I'm sure Shauna isn't _that_ bad. She's a bit high-strung, but she gives credit to those who deserve it. That, and the other board members and I agreed that she'll be a good influence to you four."

Yasuo and Senna snickered among themselves, knowing Shauna will probably give the four absolute hell when it comes to whatever project they'll end up working on in the future.

"Like what Mr. Reveck said," Akali started, turning to Ekko. "maybe Miss Vayne won't be so bad."

"See? Be more optimistic like her." Corin said, gesturing at Akali. After telling them to enjoy the rest of the party, the man excused himself and left to find his daughter in the crowd.

Ekko waited until Corin was out of sight before turning to Akali and looking at her as if she lost her mind. "You haven't worked on any projects with Vayne, have you?"

"No, not yet." Akali answered truthfully. "Why?"

"I'd say that you'll find out next week," Qiyana began, placing a hand on her shoulder. "but maybe it's much better to spoil the surprise a little."

"Surprise?"

"Vayne's really strict when it comes to working schedules and deadlines." Kayn explained, while Yasuo and Senna nodded in support. "A lot of new grads like us always end up requesting a team transfer after working with her for half a month."

"Rarely do they last." Yasuo murmured with a small shake of his head.

"Those who do though, they always end up climbing the company." Senna then gestured at herself and Yasuo. "Paintbrush and I used to be in the same development team as Shauna. She wasn't even team leader that time, but because of her, the game we were working on became a success."

Beside Senna, Yasuo shot her a mildly irked glare, while his cheeks lightly colored with an embarrassed blush. Only a handful of people did call him 'Paintbrush'. It was always because of his hair.

"What about your team leader?" Akali queried in curiosity.

"Our team leader sucked." Yasuo bluntly replied, choosing to let Senna's little tease slip. "She acted as leader while the real leader was too busy sucking up to the big bosses."

"Maybe you four should go say hi to her now." Senna suggested, giving Qiyana, the one closest to her, an encouraging shoulder pat.

Ekko was quick to shake his head in refusal, while Akali, Kayn and Qiyana looked around to try and spot the woman they were talking about. A minute passed with their search for Vayne proving to be futile, it prompted Kayn to speak up.

"Speaking of which, where _is_ she?"

Senna softly sighed, turning away to get a refill of the drink she's been nursing for the past couple of minutes. "Well, knowing her, she probably went out for some fresh air. Kind of forgot that she's not one for parties like this."

Just like what Senna said, Shauna was indeed outside of the hotel. The raven-haired woman had already left the building, actually. Instead of taking a breath at the rooftop or just outside the hotel, Shauna had crossed the road and decided to take a walk in Valoran Park.

As much as she wanted to leave the event early, Mr. Reveck had mentioned to her how she'll be handling a new team starting next week thanks to the whole reshuffling thing the company wanted to do. She originally intended to observe her new team during the event, but she decided to take a break from all the socializing for now before doing just that.

With her hands in her pocket and her blazer off and hanging on her right arm, Shauna enjoyed the light breeze that blew against her. Sterling grey eyes looked through the sunglasses she wore, the red tint obscuring the cool color of the irises.

The park wasn't noisy, but it wasn't quiet either. With people enjoying its clean and green fields and clearing, either taking a picnic or a walk like her, there were this tolerable everyday sounds that reached her ears.

Particularly a boy's giggling and cheerful calls and a dog's eager barking.

Shauna slowed to a stop not only because a group of people had passed and prompted her to move aside, but also because she was somewhat entertained with the sight of a young boy playing fetch with his dog.

Innocent and rather adorable the scene may be, it wasn't enough to keep her from proceeding with her walk. She turned around and was about to continue on when she heard a soft voice call out to the boy once the latter and his pet came a bit close to the group of friends hanging around one side of the clearing.

"Nunu, be careful!"

"Sorry!" Nunu apologized, running to the other direction and away from the people he and Willump nearly disturbed.

Shauna directed her gaze to the bench a small space away from a big tree, her eyes landing on the riveting woman that had called out to the young boy. The profile of the beauty alone was enough to charm her in taking a moment to admire her.

Rarely does Shauna show an interest in someone. Men or women, it never mattered to her. She didn't have time for relationships since she she preferred focusing more on her work. But now, maybe getting to know this beautiful lady isn't a waste of time.

Shauna left the main walkway of the park, stepping onto the grass and approaching the bench. She softly cleared her throat, immediately capturing the amber-eyed woman's attention.

"May I?" Shauna asked, gesturing at the vacant space on the bench.

Although there was uncertainty and a hint of exasperation in the woman's gaze, she nodded and gestured for her to sit down. Shauna didn't let the look deter her. Clearly, this lady was used to being approached by strangers and probably being flirted on.

Shauna couldn't blame them though. She's _quite_ the sight, after all.

Despite being initially enchanted by her appearance, Shauna still took notice of how the other seemed to be preoccupied with whatever it was she had in mind. Her face would shift from a troubled frown to an idle smile every now and then.

"Vayne." She introduced, stretching a hand out to her seatmate once she slung her blazer over one of her knees.

"Pardon?" Was the mild and genuinely confused response of the woman beside her.

"I'm Vayne."

Giving a small smile, the woman introduced herself back. "Evelynn."

"A beautiful name." Shauna complimented. "It suits you."

"Thank you."

"Excuse me if I'm being too forward, but I can't help but notice how you've been frowning and smiling for the past few minutes." Shauna pointed out, adjusting the perch of her sunglasses on her nose. "Troubled?"

Evelynn hesitated in saying anything to Shauna, but when she figured it wouldn't really hurt her in doing so, she sighed and said, "Is it that obvious?"

Shauna hummed. "Only if someone takes the time to look at you."

"It's obvious, then." Evelynn shook her head. "Listen. Call me assuming, but I'm not exactly in the mood to flirt with _anyone_ right now. If you're here to get my number, then sorry, darling, but your timing is just horrible."

Instead of being offended or having her hopes being squandered by the outright rejection, Shauna found herself chuckling at Evelynn's words. She shifted on her seat, making herself more comfortable before speaking up again.

"I won't flirt, then." Shauna simply said. "I'm willing to lend an ear though."

Evelynn took her gaze away from Nunu for a moment, raising an eyebrow at Shauna. "Oh? And what makes you think I need it?"

"I don't think, I _know_. And so do you."

Without even bothering on subtlety, Evelynn scrutinized Shauna with a look that probably would've made anyone squirm in discomfort. The grey-eyed woman remained unfazed though. She met Evelynn's gaze with a cool expression, patiently waiting for a verbal reply.

"What makes you so interested in my problems?" Evelynn asked, holding back a scoff as she returned half of her attention to Nunu.

"Knowing someone's troubles gives me hints in who that person really is. In this case," Shauna eyed Evelynn through her glasses, leaning back on the bench. "underneath that picture-perfect face of yours, I think I can spy something others can't."

"And what may that be, hmm?"

"An aching heart."

Evelynn's breath almost hitched upon hearing Shauna's precise observation. Knowing Nunu was still busy playing tug-of-war with Willump with the frisbee, she removed her gaze from them and turned it back to Shauna, who met her eyes in an instant.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

"You're more observant than I gave you credit for." Evelynn responded back. "Although, for all I know, you might just have been lucky enough to guess right."

Instead of giving a reply to that, Shauna chose to steer their conversation to a slightly different flow. "I'm more curious in knowing why someone like you is having trouble with a man."

"Woman." Evelynn corrected before she could stop herself.

Shauna quirked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything else but, "Sorry for assuming."

Evelynn sighed. "If knowing my problem makes you leave me sooner rather than later, then know that it's just like those scenarios that involve unrequited feelings."

"Seeing that you won't be giving any more details than that," Shauna adjusted her posture as she turned to face Evelynn halfway, gesturing with one hand as she said, "for what it's worth, this person breaking your heart right now is missing out on someone extraordinary."

Evelynn scoffed. "Right. Of course you'd say that."

Shauna _never_ took her glasses off. As much as possible, she kept them on and concealed her eyes from the people around her. It vastly assisted her in hiding her emotions, especially when it came to the times that she maintains a neutral expression during one-on-one talks and group discussions.

For the first time in her life, she slipped her glasses off and looked at someone, specifically Evelynn, right in the eye without anything veiling her grey-hued gaze. Her eyes were true and expressive and it showed the goddess nothing but sincerity.

"Do you really think I'm just saying this?"

"...Not anymore." Evelynn replied, deciding to be the first one to break eye contact. She coughed to herself, redirecting her eyes' focus on Nunu once again.

"Did you ever tell this person how you feel?" Shauna queried after a fairly long moment, eyes now also on Nunu and half-interested on the boy and his dog's activity.

"She knows everything."

"Everything? How come you're hurting, then?"

"She likes _him_, not me. I told you, didn't I? It's just another tale of unrequited love." Evelynn sighed again as she shook her head. "I suppose I'm merely here to keep her company whenever she feels alone. Nothing but a mere friend."

"Sounds like a typical tragic love story." Shauna commented, her eyes observing Evelynn from the corner.

"I don't even know why I'm telling _you _all of this." Evelynn said, quietly laughing to herself as she brushed some of her hair away from her face. "You probably want nothing more but what's under these clothes of mine."

"What if I wanted something found much deeper underneath?" Shauna asked, turning back to Evelynn and capturing the siren's gaze in a heartbeat. "Your weeping heart maybe?"

Evelynn raised an eyebrow. "And what use is a broken heart to you?"

"What else can I do but fix it? Mend it back until it's whole again. That is," Shauna offered her hand again. "if you'd let me."

Evelynn once again stared back at her, attempting to find any traces of desire in her gaze. There was no lust in her eyes, only hope and a sincere promise. Dare Evelynn say that her heart skipped a beat upon its sight?

It was a look she longed for from Akali, yet here was a woman that seemed to want nothing more but to relieve her of her pain. Not through sexual methods, but more on the actual comfort of words and company. She felt _at ease_ around her.

Reaching out, Evelynn placed a hand over Shauna's, who then brought it up and placed a kiss on her knuckles. The goddess had to stop herself from shifting or pulling her hand back once a soft pair of lips touched her skin. It was immensely different from the kisses she received on her hand. It felt warmer and more genuine.

"Perhaps I've been too harsh on you." Evelynn murmured, retracting her hand as she once again averted her gaze from Shauna.

"I didn't mind." Shauna easily dismissed, light shrugging. "I love a woman with a fiery personality."

"Oh, you do, don't you?"

"What's love when you don't take risks and easily give up?" Shauna winked before slipping her glasses back on. "Playing hard to get is always attractive. To me, at least."

"You have your work cut out for you, then."

"Speaking of work," Shauna stood up, withdrawing her phone from her pocket. "I need to go back."

"Please, don't let me keep you."

"I rather prefer that you do." Vayne said, huskily chuckling before she offered her phone to Evelynn. "Any chances you and I could see each other again or are we just going to call this a _'chance meeting'_?"

Although Evelynn never gave out to her number and was used to it being the other way around, she made an exception for Shauna. She took the woman's phone and entered her contact info, saving it under her name before handing it back to the owner.

"Smooth, Vayne. _Very_ smooth."

"It's Shauna."

"Shauna?"

"Only those who are special can call me by my first name."

Evelynn quirked an eyebrow. "And _I'm_ special?"

Shauna winked, flashing a charming smirk. "You are."

The two of them finally parted ways with Shauna heading back to the hotel and with Evelynn returning her full attention back to Nunu, who was running towards her with Willump alongside him.

"Hey!" Nunu greeted as soon as he skidded to a stop in front of Evelynn, frisbee held with both of his hands. "Who was that girl?"

"Oh, no one. A new friend, I guess?"

"Arf!" Willump barked, wagging his tail excitedly when he sensed that the described woman seemed to have a positive effect on Evelynn.

"Now that she left though, can we go and get some ice cream now?" Nunu asked, making sure he widened his eyes to replicate his signature puppy-dog eyes.

"Not more than one, alright?"

"That's fine!" Nunu then wore a little grin as he poked Evelynn on the arm. "You must be feeling _really_ happy right now, huh?"

"And what makes you say that, hmm?"

"That lady was really pretty, and she even kissed your hand!"

"Oh shush, or else you won't be getting your little creamy treat."

Nunu giggled as he made a zipping motion across his lips, and beside him, Willump showed what seemed to be a dog's version of a grin, which prompted the goddess to titter in return. She stood up once she connected the leash to Willump's collar again, taking hold of Nunu's right hand before they started on their way to the ice cream stall in the park.

"Alright, let's go."

"Yay! Ice cream! Ice cream!"

"Arf! Arf!"

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

The door clicked quietly as Akali slowly closed it, careful not to disturb her roommate, who was probably already sleeping at this hour. After the company event, she and her co-workers went out to grab a few drinks, especially since Ekko was quite persistent in doing so after meeting their new boss at the party.

_Senna's fiancé arrived from his work and had just been introduced to them by Senna herself when Mr. Reveck once again approached them an hour after he had initially. This time though, he was accompanied by his daughter, Orianna and last but definitely not the least, their new team leader, Shauna Vayne._

_While Yasuo, Senna, and even Lucian, exchanged light pleasantries with Shauna, Akali and the others leaned more on the quiet side upon the introduction of their new team leader._

_When Corin and Orianna left Shauna to them, Ekko ended up being the most surprised. Shauna brought up the character ideas they had recently presented to the board and had nothing but good things to say about them. While Akali, Kayn and Ekko were surprised with her one-line compliments to their work, Qiyana received a more detailed praise with her contribution to one of the company's big projects._

_"With everything the four of you had done, I expect nothing but _ ** _perfection_ ** _ in your future works." Shauna said, looking in between the mentioned individuals._

_"Just make sure to take it easy on them, Shauna." Yasuo said, patting her on the shoulder. "Wouldn't want them to turn in their resignations at the end of the month."_

_While Senna and Lucian chuckled at Yasuo's joke, Shauna lightheartedly rolled her eyes at his little jest. "We'll see if they can keep their performance work consistent."_

_"We won't let you down, Miss Vayne!" Ekko abruptly said, flashing a thumbs up at her. "You can count on us!"_

_Shauna quirked an eyebrow at the young man in return. "Well, I expect many things from _ ** _you_ ** _, then. After all, you _ ** _are_ ** _ guaranteeing."_

_Whike Qiyana and Kayn suppressed their snickers, Akali settled on giving Ekko, who paled at their team leader's words, a pat on the back. It looks like he bit more than he could chew yet again._

_"Now, I wouldn't want to keep you all from enjoying the rest of the party. Excuse me." Shauna nodded her head at them, giving Yasuo and Senna each a pat on the arm before leaving the group._

_All of them watched Shauna leave before they all gave out their own versions of sighs. Lucian let out a little laugh before he broke the silence that had fallen on them._

_"She's quite likeable, isn't she?"_

Tiptoeing across the living room, Akali took the time to check on Evelynn, who was peacefully slumbering on the sofa. Thankful that she hadn't disturbed her roommate, Akali proceeded to her bedroom, flopping onto her bed the moment she reached it.

Although she and Kayn didn't share any one-on-one conversation during the party and their time at the bar, she did spend some time getting to know the guy. She discovered that both of them came from Ionia and shared the same interest in martial arts.

Other than that though, Akali had yet to find any more common ground with Kayn. She was just happy her crush was talking to her and that he seemed to be interested in taking their relationship past the friendship level.

Speaking of friendships and relationships, Akali sat back up and looked towards her closed door. She had stopped locking it ever since she started trusting Evelynn. So far, nothing unusual had happened, which proved that the woman was as trustworthy as she can be.

It's a bit surprising that Evelynn had halted her advances towards her. Sure, she still called Akali with pet names like _'darling'_, _'love'_, _'honey'_ or _'sweetie'_, and they always carried this certain allure, but other than that, there seemed to be nothing more.

"At least everything's turning out great!" Akali said, ignoring the disturbing feeling growing at the back of her mind.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

To say that the week has been _absolutely_ hectic and stressful was certainly an understatement, especially if the new members of Shauna's development team were to be asked how they've been coping with the whole staff reshuffle.

Although Akali, Kayn and Qiyana manage to keep up with Shauna's standards, the same couldn't be said when it comes to Ekko, who always got an earful from the woman. Regardless, the four still pushed through and had no intention in giving up anytime soon.

That doesn't mean Ekko didn't whine and complain to the trio whenever he got the chance.

"You still alive there?" Qiyana asked, poking Ekko's slumped self with a pencil.

Ekko deeply sighed as he buried his face in his arms, prompting Kayn and Akali, who was spending their lunchbreak with him and Qiyana, to regard him with a sympathetic look. Due to his _'bold guarantee'_ at the party, Shauna had been pressuring and was mainly critical towards him out of their little group.

"Dying on the inside _and_ outside." Ekko muttered, his body visibly deflating.

"Hey, at least Vayne has these mood swings every now and then." Kayn said, offering a small smile as additional comfort.

"Oh yeah, her mood swings are really whack." Qiyana concurred, twirling her pencil around.

"Mood swings?" Akali asked, looking between the two. "What mood swings?"

"What, you haven't seen her switch from strict and harsh to quiet and dismissive?" Kayn mused, looking surprised with the query.

"Uhh, no, I haven't." Akali replied with a shake of her head. "Whenever she's with me, she's always on her phone."

"Exactly." Kayn and Qiyana chorused.

Akali tilted her head, looking confused as she stared at the pair.

"Word around the office says that she's currently seeing someone." Qiyana said in a hushed manner, glancing around to make sure no one heard her but them. "Someone that literally turns her frown upside down."

Kayn nodded in support, adding, "It's the reason why Ekko always gets off the hook whenever he does something Vayne doesn't like. The mystery person always _miraculously_ texts in the nick of time."

"Why can't she be on her phone whenever she's checking on _my_ work?" Ekko whined, head still bowed and laying on the table.

"That must be _some_ guy." Akali said, snickering.

"The gossip gets juicier." Qiyana was obviously well-informed with the talk in the office. "They say that it's a _woman_."

"Yeah, the name starts with _'E'_ from what I've heard." Kayn said, nodding his head as he rubbed his chin with his finger. "Was it _'E'_, QiQi?"

Qiyana shrugged. "I'm not really sure. Some even say it starts with _'A'_ or _'W'_."

"Well, whoever she is," Akali decided to cut in as she stood up, finishing the sandwich Evelynn had made for her. "I'm extremely thankful, cuz she makes my job a _lot_ easier when Vayne's around."

"Getting back on the job?" Kayn asked, looking a bit impressed.

"Yeah. Vayne told me to finish one of the 3D models of my project before six, so gotta go."

"Alright. Bye, Akali."

"See ya, Akali!"

"Later, Akali..."

Meanwhile, at the workstation where Vayne was newly assigned to in order for her to coordinate with her team much easily, the said woman can be found sipping from her iced coffee as she read the text message she just received in her phone.

**Evelynn**: No, I'm not free today, nor tomorrow morning

**Shauna**: Is my face that ugly for you to not want to see me again??

**Evelynn**: On the contrary, you're charming  
As much I'd want to deny it, you have looks

**Shauna**: Nice compliment  
I'll take it

**Evelynn**: It's the greatest compliment I can give you  
And if it stops you from asking over and over again, I'm busy tomorrow because I'll be moving

**Shauna**: Moving? Out of town?

**Evelynn**: Just from one apartment to another

**Shauna**: What's wrong with where you live in now?

Their whole text conversation came to a halt for a minute or two. Vayne patiently waited though, knowing Evelynn was likely contemplating if she should answer her question or not.

**Evelynn**: My roommate doesn't want me living with her  
And I think I'm just being a burden to her

**Vayne**: You? A burden? How?

**Evelynn**: It's complicated  
Let's just say it'd be much easier for her when I move out

**Vayne**: I want to take a guess here...  
Is this roommate of yours the same one you have feelings for?

As expected, there was no immediate reply. Sighing quietly to herself, Shauna placed her phone on her desk and picked up a paper with the outline of one of the game levels Qiyana had submitted to her.

She had just finished reading the first two paragraphs and was about to start on the third one when she heard her phone's notification sound, prompting her to lightly toss the paper back on the table and pick her phone back up.

**Evelynn**: I'm an open book to you, aren't I?

**Shauna**: Looks like I guessed right  
And I wouldn't go that far  
I'm just saying what I think I'm seeing

**Evelynn**: And you're always honest with me  
With your thoughts at least

**Shauna**: What's there to hide anyway?  
I just want to see a beautiful lady smile

**Evelynn**: Very smooth of you

**Shauna**: Thanks, I try

**Evelynn**: As entertaining as it is to talk to you like this, I have to go  
I have things to take care of

**Shauna**: Can I call later?

**Evelynn**: What for?

**Shauna**: I just want to hear your voice  
It's beautiful

On the other side of the message thread, Evelynn was currently seated in the living room, her things already neatly packed in at least around five boxes. They were mainly clothes that not only her fellow creations had bought, but the ones Akali had gotten for her as well.

The goddess felt her cheeks warm a tiny bit as she read Shauna's latest messages. Between her and Akali, it was always her that chased after the artist and was the one that gave compliments like this. It was always her that made Akali blush, not the other way around.

Although Shauna isn't exactly Akali, she was still someone that seemed to give Evelynn the genuine care and attention she's been hoping to get from her creator. So far, Shauna has never made any sexual comments, nor even hinted about such, towards her. It was certainly a nice change of pace.

With a smile, Evelynn typed up a reply she had no regrets in sending.

**Evelynn**: Around evening, 9 o'clock

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Throughout the stressful hours she experienced at work, Akali still came back home to her apartment with the feeling of accomplishment swirling within her. She could still recall how Shauna had praised her for submitting the 3D model half an hour before the appointed time. The woman was also pleased with her work as well, so she was able to leave work before the others, who ended up doing some overtime for their own projects.

Once she stepped inside her apartment, she expected to catch a whiff of the delicious dinner Evelynn whipped up for the two of them. She was indeed greeted by the scrumptious aroma, but she was also greeted with the sight of a few boxes piled at one side of her living room.

"Darling, you're home."

Akali removed her gaze from the boxes and redirected it to Evelynn, who seemed to have just finished preparing their evening meal. "Hey, Evelynn."

"How was work? Stressful?"

"Same as always." Akali said with a shrug, occupying one of the stools at the kitchen island, where the plates of food can be found. "What's with the boxes?"

"Oh, actually, we'll discuss that in a minute. For now, why don't you try this curry I made, hmm?"

Akali had to admit, the curry did look and smell delicious. "Fine by me."

The two of them started on their dinner, one of them looking to the other in anticipation. Despite the fact that Akali always enjoyed the food she usually prepared, Evelynn was always anxious about her reaction towards her cooking.

Akali moaned in satisfaction once the taste of curry touched her tongue and made her tastebuds tingle in delight. "Wow, this curry is _amazing_."

"It's nice to see you enjoy my cooking." Evelynn said, smiling as she wore a fond look on her face.

"Enjoy it? I somehow live for it." Akali replied half-jokingly. "I mean, you _do_ feed me three meals a day."

"With the ingredients that you bought."

"But you cooked them." Akali then nudged Evelynn on the arm, smiling. "Give yourself some credit."

Evelynn chuckled. "Alright, if you say so."

"So," Akali began after swallowing her second spoonful of food. "what's with all the boxes? You moving?"

"Mm-hm. I figured the sooner I get out of your apartment, the better it is for you." Evelynn replied after chewing the food she had just eaten.

"Wait, already?"

"I spoke with the landlord of the building and he agreed about letting me move in to the apartment across the hall."

"What about the initial deposit?"

"Oh, I already gave it to him earlier after you left for work, along with an advanced month's worth of rent." Evelynn informed her, sounding quite proud of herself.

"I'm surprised you managed to save up some money so quickly." Akali mentioned, looking fairly impressed.

"Well, I don't exactly buy groceries and pay any bills here other than the rent money I gave you last time." Evelynn said, shrugging nonchalantly. "I suppose it's only right that I start living independently, don't you think so?"

"Well, yeah, that'd be great."

"Nunu even said he'll help me move tomorrow."

"You literally have FIVE boxes. If you need help, _I_ can do it for you." Akali pointed out, feeling a little beaten when she discovered their neighbour had already taken the spot of Evelynn's helper for tomorrow.

"Aren't you busy tomorrow? You mentioned the other day that you have a project you wanted to work on at home."

"Oh, right. Didn't really think you'd remember that. I literally just said that in passing."

Evelynn shrugged. "Doesn't mean I won't remember it."

"So what though, right? I can spare a few minutes in helping you cross the hall with your stuff."

Just because Evelynn didn't tease her like she used to in the beginning, that didn't mean that the woman was going to stop in doing so completely. She bumped shoulders with Akali, smiling teasingly once their eyes met.

"You sound _quite_ determined, darling." Evelynn mused, leaning close. "If it makes you feel better, I'll just tell Nunu thanks and that I found someone just _dying_ to help me."

Akali made a face, but nonetheless gave Evelynn a lighthearted push. "Very funny."

"Fitting for a beautiful comedian, yes?"

Laughing behind her hand, Akali shook her head at Evelynn, who eventually started chuckling in return. A few minutes passed with the two of them taking the time to enjoy their dinner before Evelynn abruptly brought up a thought of hers.

"This is nice." Evelynn commented, smiling to herself as she continued with, "Talking with you like this, seeing you smile and hearing you laugh, it's... It's really nice."

Akali found herself staring back at Evelynn, whose eyes were fixated on her. There was warmth in those amber orbs again. It made her face warm up, while her heartbeat quickened. No one looked at her like that.

No one but Evelynn, at least.

This was the first time she saw it again ever since Evelynn had put an end to her flirtatious acts towards her.

"I guess it's good to see you smile, too." Akali shyly complimented. "You look more beautiful, actually, whenever you smile."

"You don't like me smirking?" Evelynn asked with a chuckle.

"No, no, your smirk is nice, too, but uh," Akali could feel her face heating up even more, which prompted her to shake her head as an attempt to compose herself. "I prefer your smile more. It's... warm."

"Warm?"

"Yeah, warm."

Evelynn tittered. "I should smile more often, then."

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

When morning came and Akali woke up earlier than she usually did during weekends, she was more eager in getting up rather than staying in bed for the rest of the morning. She might not have a date with her crush, but she did tell Evelynn she'll be helping her.

Call her petty or childish, but she was, in no way, going to let a little boy take that chance from her.

Although she's been the one helping Evelynn from the very beginning, she still didn't want to pass this opportunity up. Once she finished wearing a plain shirt and a pair of denim shorts, she left her room and went straight to the living room, where she found Evelynn in the middle of tying her hair up in a messy bun.

Despite already catching more than a glimpse of the goddess' body, the natural appeal her clothes gave off was enough for Akali to halt upon her step and take a moment to survey Evelynn's casual attire. Also donning a pair of denim shorts like her and a plain white tank top that, of course, showed off quite a view to her wandering eyes, the goddess was once again living up to her name.

The moment Evelynn looked towards her though, Akali immediately averted her gaze, especially when the beauty approached her. She had to clear her throat to make sure there was nothing clogging it.

"Alright, sooo, which box first?"

Evelynn chuckled, smiling. "Good morning to you, too."

"Oh, right. Morning."

"Since you seem to be so eager, breakfast can wait. You can start with the lightest one." Evelynn said, nodding towards the box on top of the two piled over one another.

"Sure." Akali took the box first before turning back to Evelynn and asking, "The keys?"

"Oh, the apartment's already unlocked."

Such would explain why her front door was open, which she just noticed now. Literally right across the hall, she spied the once vacant unit's door slightly ajar, which wordlessly told her that she'll have no trouble in getting inside.

"Alright then."

Akali had just taken two steps when she heard a cellphone's ringtone go off, notifying them both that there was a call. Her eyes darted towards the kitchen island, which was where she spied Evelynn's phone lighting up. Before she could see who it was though, the siren had picked it up and answered it, placing the piece of tech against her right ear.

"Good morning." Evelynn greeted as warmly as she had to Akali. "I thought you said you'd call last night."

Rather purposely, Akali took her time in carrying the box out of the apartment, wanting to eavesdrop on the phone call Evelynn was in. This was the first time she saw the woman in a call with someone, so her curiosity just wouldn't let it go.

"I know you did, but you didn't say anything about calling today." Evelynn said, lightheartedly sighing. "I don't exactly know what you find captivating of my voice, but if it encourages you in calling me every now and then, maybe I should start altering it when I talk to you."

Akali heard a soft laugh come from the phone's speaker, causing her to stop at the doorway and check on Evelynn's reaction towards the laugh. There was this smile the goddess was attempting to suppress, but the curve was still there at the corner of her lips.

"Well, now that you've heard it, I have to go. I'm in the middle of moving my things."

Unconsciously, Akali nodded in support, feeling absolutely stupid when she realized what she did. She shook her head, but still continued in her eavesdropping.

"Alright. Bye, Shauna."

And just like that, Akali's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Heck, she nearly _dropped_ the box she was holding. She hurriedly spun around to avoid Evelynn's gaze once the woman picked up a box of her own and turned to trail after her. Making her way into Evelynn's new apartment, Akali tried her hardest to not overthink what she had just heard.

No matter how hard she seemed to try though, she couldn't remove the possibility that Evelynn was highly likely speaking to her team leader!

Could it be coincidence? Same name but different person? She sure hoped it was.

Akali nearly dropped the box she was holding when she remembered her talk with her friends at work yesterday. If Evelynn was indeed talking to Shauna Vayne, then that only meant one thing.

"Of course Vayne would have a thing for her." She groaned to herself, slapping a hand over her face and keeping the box held with one hand. "How did they even meet in the first place?"

"What was that, darling?"

Akali jumped and spun around, flashing a wide, innocent smile at Evelynn, who raised her eyebrows at her in return. It looks like the goddess didn't clearly hear what she had just uttered.

"It's nothing! I just..." Akali looked around before snapping her fingers in feigned realization. "I just think this new apartment of yours looks great!"

Evelynn eyed her curiously, obviously not believing that what she said was what she was talking about a mere moment ago. Nonetheless, the woman decided not to push her further and chose to proceed into the apartment with a box in her grasp.

"Right, well, I'll go and put this one in the bedroom. You can leave that there on the floor for now."

"Oh, yeah, sure, sure." Akali placed the box down and dusted herself for a second. "I'll go and get the other boxes. You can start unpacking."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want you to get tired moving them by yourself."

Akali waved a hand dismissively, scoffing. "Pfft! Just leave it all to me, okay?"

"Alright, darling." Evelynn chuckled out. "I'll be here if you need me."

"Okay."

Heading back to her apartment, Akali's mind was becoming slightly muddled as she thought about all the times her boss had been so preoccupied with her phone. If it really was Evelynn charming Shauna into being much more loose at work, then it's no wonder to her now.

Akali scratched the back of her head as she picked up one of the three remaining boxes that contained Evelynn's belongings. She was just about to march back to the other apartment when her eyes spotted Evelynn's phone back on the kitchen island.

Checking to make sure Evelynn wasn't anywhere near her doorway, Akali inched towards the gadget and took a peek at its screen, which lit up when a few messages popped up.

**Shauna**: Have you eaten breakfast?  
If not, maybe you'll finally give me the honor to take you out?

Before she could do anything in stopping it, Akali felt her eye twitch at the messages. She retracted and continued her way to the goddess' apartment, face somewhat similar to a scowl.

_'What's so great about Vayne anyway? There's nothing really interesting about her for Evelynn to like.'_

Or is there?

_'And Evelynn didn't tell me anything about her.'_

When Akali realized what expression was plastered on her face and what she was feeling and thinking, she gave herself a mental slap and a quick shake of her head. She blinked a couple of times, trying to erase the jealousy that sprouted out of nowhere.

First of all, Evelynn can flirt with _anyone_ she wants! Just like how Akali's allowed to flirt with Kayn, right?

Second, so what if Evelynn ends up dating her boss? It's not like she and the goddess had anything between them. At least, that's what Akali was _trying_ to tell herself right now.

Despite Evelynn's initial attempts in convincing her that they're connected more than through mere coincidence, Akali was as stubborn as a mule and would rather believe everything was just a crazy predicament that happened out of pure coincidental occurrence.

Lastly, she had _no right_ in acting all jealous now. After all, she had pushed Evelynn away from the very beginning. All she can do now was push down the stirring jealousy lingering within her.

"And I thought I was the only one." Akali muttered, only to groan when she realized what she just said. "Get yourself together, Akali! _Baka!_"

After depositing the box right beside the first one she brought in, she returned to her apartment and retrieved the remaining. Two trips later, she was finally done. She tracked Evelynn down in the apartment, finding the woman in the middle of segregating a bunch of lingerie attires on the double-bed.

Blue eyes darted from one lingerie to another, the color in her cheeks returning slightly as she discovered that the more she looked, the more provocative the clothes got.

"Hey, knock, knock." Akali coolly called out, tapping her knuckles on the open door. "All the boxes are at living room."

Evelynn, who was holding up one red and one green lingerie set with both hands, turned to her and smiled. "Thank you, Akali. I appreciate the help."

There was a part of her mind that told her not to go through with what she's about to ask, but once she recalled the messages she had seen, the words flew out of her lips before she could even think twice.

"Nice lingerie collection." Akali found herself casually complimenting. "You wearing them for someone?"

Evelynn held the red one against her chest as she fully turned to Akali, quirking an eyebrow. "Want me to wear this one for you?"

"I meant for _someone else_!" Akali immediately clarified, cheeks reddening in embarrassment. "Not me!"

"Aww, and here I thought you were finally coming around." Evelynn said, feigning disappointment. She placed the lingerie on the bed before sitting on the bed, tracing a circle on the sheet as she maintained eye contact. "Wouldn't you at least reconsider? There's a perfectly good bed right here that we can make some use of."

Akali's right eye twitched. "It's made for _sleeping_."

"Or something more." Evelynn suggested, winking.

"You're really naughty, aren't you?"

Evelynn innocently shrugged. "I wasn't the one who started it."

"I just gave a compliment!"

"Concerning my lingerie, and you even asked if I'll be wearing them for someone." Evelynn smoothly retorted, a smug smile on her lips. "So many implications right there."

"Okay! Clearly, you don't need me here anymore!" Akali practically shouted, desperate to change the topic and maybe make her escape. "If there's nothing else you want me to do, I'm gonna go now."

"Alright, darling. Thank you again. For helping, for letting me stay with you, for getting me clothes... For everything."

Akali gave a sincere smile, her blush dying down. "Hey, at least you're standing on your own two feet now, right?"

"Mm-hm. All thanks to you."

"You're very welcome." Akali flashed a grin and a thumbs up before she turned around and started her way to the door, only to hear quiet footfalls and feel a hand on her shoulder.

"I left my phone in your apartment." Evelynn said, looking a little embarrassed.

"I can get it for you if you want." Akali offered in an instant. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

Evelynn was about to protest, but she chose to stop midway, settling on watching Akali rush out of her apartment to get the mentioned gadget. Walking back to the bedroom, Evelynn contemplated if she should continue sorting out her lingerie until Akali got back.

Ever since she had exchanged numbers with Shauna, she and the raven-haired woman had been speaking through text messages everyday. Shauna would sometimes call her with or without asking first, the one from earlier being an example, just to hear her say a few words.

Unlike the others she had met, something about Shauna actually made her enjoy the latter's attention. The woman never hinted any intention towards her other than the clear fact that she wanted to get to know her more and that she's clearly interested in something that'll last.

As guilty as Evelynn felt considering Shauna, she felt like she was being unfaithful to her creator. She was created to keep Akali company, yet it would seem like the artist didn't need her. After all, it's Kayn that she has her eyes set on, not her.

Zilean may have made her for Akali, but does her heart really belong to the illustrator?

"Here you go."

Failing to notice Akali's return due to her mind being preoccupied with thoughts, Evelynn nearly jumped in surprise before she turned around and faced the other woman. Akali had a small smile on her face as she handed her phone to her.

"Thank you, darling. Again."

"Sooo, is that everything? Nothing else you forgot or...?"

"...Actually," Evelynn began after a brief moment of hesitation. "I have something to tell you. Two things, in fact."

"Okay, and?"

"First, when you go back to your apartment, I want you to check the living room. I have a surprise waiting for you underneath the coffee table and I really hope you like it."

"A surprise? Okay, uh, what's the second one?"

"Second is that..." Evelynn hesitated for a split-second before the stiffness in her posture loosened as she said, "I plan on committing myself to someone."

Akali blinked, somewhat taken aback by the sudden confession. "...What does _that_ have to do with me though?"

"I just wanted you to know. That's all." Evelynn said, eyeing Akali rather cautiously to see how she'd react.

"I, umm..." Akali cleared her throat and shifted from her place, mentally dismissing the feeling of disturbance that surfaced once she heard the goddess' honest words. She masked the seemingly peeved feeling with a short laugh before she said, "I don't see why you have to tell me that. I mean, you didn't have to, y'know?"

"You're not bothered by it?"

Was that disappointment in Evelynn's voice? Akali wasn't really certain. She didn't want to make any more assumptions, so she was left to momentarily stare back at the amber-eyed beauty.

"No, 'course not!" Akali managed to say, succeeding in giving out a lighthearted scoff and a dismissive wave of a hand. "Why would I be, right? You and I don't have anything going on between us anyway. We're just friends! If someone out there captured your eye, then who am I to stop you? I'll even support you."

Regardless of the absolute despondency she felt, Evelynn easily pulled off a smile that convinced Akali that she was immensely grateful for her support and approval.

"Cheering you on right here, Evelynn." Akali said, flashing her two thumbs up and a cute grin.

.....

.....

.....

"Oof!" Akali became rigid for a second before her entire form relaxed. A pair of arms were wound around her, enveloping her in a tender embrace she found herself hesitantly reciprocating.

Evelynn hugged Akali, tears pooling in her eyes against her will. As much as she didn't want to cry, her control over her emotions were always absent when it came to her creator. After all, she was created with the trait of being transparent and wholly vulnerable when it comes to Akali.

"Uhh, Evelynn...?"

"Just... Just let me hold you. Just for this moment." Evelynn whispered, lips slightly trembling. "That's all I ask."

"...Okay."

The hug was far from something a regular pair of friends would do, that much Akali was sure of. She returned the hug, giving Evelynn a light squeeze as an added form of comfort.

Evelynn's lips parted with an intention to utter three specific words, but what she said was, "I'll miss you."

"Come on, I'm just across the hall." Akali half-jokingly said, trying to lighten the mood. "I'll be here when you need me."

When she said that though, she felt Evelynn stiffen for a moment before she started pulling away. Although she wanted to pull the siren back, she stopped herself before doing so.

Hastily, Evelynn turned away, hiding behind her hair as she wiped the tears that nearly fell. When Akali made a move in placing a hand on her shoulder, Evelynn took a step away and murmured, "You should probably go. I... I still have a lot of things to sort out."

"Okay, if that's what you want."

Doing just what was asked of her, Akali left the apartment and returned to her own, closing the door behind her as she did. It left Evelynn to stand in the middle of her bedroom, looking more like she had run away rather than the blatant fact that she had moved out on her own whim.

No more cooking for someone other than herself.

No more everyday idle talk with Akali.

With the pace Akali seemed to be going with Kayn, it was only a matter of time for them to get together and label each other as lovers. That thought alone was enough to make Evelynn's heart clench in defeat.

Although she wasn't going to disappear anytime soon due to the fact that Akali believed she's real, she was left to deal with the heartache she suffered from the entire predicament.

Falling onto the bed, Evelynn stared at the ceiling in a daze.

"What am I doing with my life?"

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! This here's my little treat for all of you! I was intending to update two chapters, mainly the continuation of this one, but I couldn't finish it in time. ^^"
> 
> Also, my initial plan was to separate this particular chapter into two parts, but my friend told me to just stick it both together, so here it is! :3
> 
> Anyway, now you've all met Akali's main competitor for Evelynn's heart in the story, Shauna Vayne! It's a little change of pace instead of using Twisted Fate again. :P
> 
> And yes, I'm very well aware of Vayne and Evelynn's relationship in the League universe. Vayne hates Evelynn with every fiber of her being for killing her parents, but in this story, it's different, alright?
> 
> Welp, I hope all of you enjoyed this one!
> 
> Till my next update~


	7. Chapter 7

**ACT 7**

When Akali had returned to her apartment, she had been too distracted with hers and Evelynn's recent interaction to be able to remember checking whatever it was the woman had left for her as a surprise. Instead of seeing what it was, she just made herself a simple ham and cheese sandwich before heading straight to her little work area in her unit to finish a part of the current project she took home from the office.

The whole day passed for her as if the hours were nothing but dust being blown away by the breeze of time. The whole hug thing and how Evelynn had spoken during the act itself haunted Akali like a ghost.

She became restless because of it.

While she troubled herself with these thoughts, Evelynn can be found dressing up in her new apartment. Her phone was laid on her bed, screen unlocked and displaying her message thread with Shauna.

**Shauna**: Have you eaten breakfast?  
If not, maybe you'll finally give me the honor to take you out?

**Evelynn**: Can I take a raincheck?

**Shauna**: Have you eaten breakfast though? Yes or no?

**Evelynn**: Fine. No, I haven't

**Shauna**: Take you out, then? ;)

**Evelynn**: I'll be at the bus stop at Brambleback Street in fifteen

**Shauna**: Dress a little fancy  
I'll be there in ten

Evelynn picked up the red lingerie set from before, shaking her head when she decided to just stick with the ordinary underwear set she was already donning. She still couldn't believe that out of everyone from the creations she had shopped with, it would be _Rakan_ who'd end up buying the first lingerie sets she now had in her little collection.

Wearing a dark purple bodycon dress with a fairly low V-neck and partnering it with the black heels Karma had bought for her a few weeks ago, Evelynn was already considered dressed to impress. A bit of powder, a light blush on her cheeks and a simple yet alluring red tint of lipstick on her lips, she was ready to go.

Her meet-up point with Shauna was only two to three minutes away from their apartment building, so she arrived there in no time at all. Like what the other guaranteed, there was a car idling around the corner. Right at the driver's window, Shauna can be found smiling at her, red glasses perched low on her nose.

Like a true gentleman, Shauna exited the car and helped her into her seat, opening the door for Evelynn and letting her comfortably situate herself first before closing the door and going around to return to the driver's place.

"Gorgeous as always." Shauna said as she flashed a little smile at the goddess.

"Thank you." Evelynn thanked, briefly auditing Shauna's appearance before saying, "You're not so bad yourself."

Her words spoke the truth. Shauna was wearing a pair of black pants, black shoes and a red button-up that matched her eye accessory. The raven hair she had were in a high ponytail today instead of a braid, but that's just one of the little details about her. What took Evelynn's attention was when Shauna removed her glasses and deposited it in her pocket, shortly looking at her with those grey orbs and winking before finally driving to where they intend on having breakfast.

"I'm surprised you said yes." Shauna started, glancing at Evelynn.

"I'm more interested in why you just asked now." Evelynn said with what seemed to be a smug smile. "Most people ask me upon our first meeting."

Shauna chuckled. "I didn't want to seem so eager. And, is this your way of saying I have a lot of competition for your attention?"

"Only one, darling. Only one."

"Right. The girl you're in love with." Shauna seemed to be pondering at that particular thought before she said, "What is she doing right now?"

Evelynn raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?"

"You do know what day it is today, right?"

When Evelynn said nothing in reply, Shauna ended up giving a light titter as she shook her head a bit.

"Enlighten me, then." Evelynn said, eyes fixated on her date. "What's the occasion today that you suddenly thought it'd be perfect to ask me out for breakfast and ask about my mystery person?"

"It's Valentine's Day."

Shauna let a brief moment pass for her words to sink in before she chuckled at how Evelynn seemed to be speechless all of a sudden.

With a lot of things happening and how disastrous her thoughts concerning Akali were, the date of the day had escaped her and the artist. Either that, or it was just her. Who knows, Akali might be going out now with Kayn instead of working like she had said.

"_That's_ why I asked." Shauna spoke up again. "I figured she at least greeted you or gave you something."

Evelynn sighed, resting her face on her hand for a moment as she shook her head. "Can we not talk about her right now? I just want this date of ours to be about us."

Shauna wanted to say otherwise, but she chose to hold her tongue this time and settled with, "Alright."

It's not that she wanted to pry for information or anything. No, it was mainly the fact that she wanted to know who this mystery girl is and how she could bring herself to push away Evelynn. Was there something she's missing out on?

A fairly short drive later, they finally arrived at a fancy-looking restaurant that seem to serve the best breakfast in the city. Evelynn was somewhat unsurprised when they were led to a table that was reserved under Shauna's name. She expected nothing less from the woman after all.

The two of them placed their orders first before they started their conversation with one another, glasses being filled with freshly-squeezed orange juice.

"Can you tell me about yourself, Shauna?" Evelynn queried, taking a sip from her glass. "I'm genuinely curious about you."

"As long as you tell me about yourself after." Shauna returned, letting a small smile slip through her lips.

"Alright, I suppose that's fair."

"I guess I can start with where I'm from." Shauna shifted on her seat and cleared her her throat before starting with, "I'm originally from Demacia, grew up and stayed there with my parents until I got a much better job offer here in Valoran. I have an interest in mystery and dark fantasy novels, and I am absolutely _fascinated_ with animation and illustration."

_'Of course she likes those two.' _Evelynn thought, the image of Akali intently sketching on her desk briefly fleeting across her mind.

"You live here in the city by yourself?"

Shauna nodded. "I actually share my apartment with someone. Initially it was with my friend, Fiora, but since she's currently out of the country, she had one of her friends stay in her space. It's only temporary, but at least her friend's an acquaintance of mine."

"I'm sure that person's lucky." Evelynn said, teasingly commenting afterwards. "Especially since they have themselves a charming roommate."

Shauna raised an eyebrow, letting out a scoff-like laugh. "You're one to talk. From what I've gathered from you, your roommate's probably easy on the eyes as well. After all, you _are_ attracted to her. And besides, Luxanna isn't my type. She's here in the city because she's dating this guy named Sylas behind her brother's back."

"Lux?"

"My current roommate."

"Ah." Evelynn tapped her chin for a few times before she asked, "What about work? What do you do?"

"I'm a Lead Game Designer in _Riot Games_."

In an instant, Evelynn's eyebrows raised in surprise. "_Riot Games_?"

"You've heard of it?"

"I actually have." She replied back with a nod. Evelynn lightly tapped her fingers on her glass for a moment before saying, "I know I said we shouldn't talk about _her_, but it looks like she works in the same place you do."

"The one you have feelings for?"

"Mm-hm."

Shauna leaned in with interest, genuinely curious of who it was. "I might know her. What's her name?"

Evelynn eyed Shauna with a half-hearted look of suspicion. "Want to scope out your competition?"

"If you pick me, you pick me. If you don't, you don't." Shauna shrugged nonchalantly. "All's fair in love and war, right?"

"Alright," Evelynn leaned back after playing her glass down, arms crossing in front of her as she playfully smiled back. "since your company has hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people working there, I suppose you won't find her."

_'Try me.'_ Shauna thought, loving how this was coming off as if Evelynn was challenging her.

"Her name's Akali, and that's all I'm going to tell you."

Shauna didn't flinch nor freeze for even a split-second. She merely leaned back on the chair's backrest and smiled back. "Akali, huh? I guess I have little research to do once I go to work next week."

"Knowing how huge your company is, I'm fairly confident that you won't find her."

"Don't speak so soon, sweetness. It's a small world, after all."

Evelynn hummed, reaching for her glass again while maintaining eye contact. "I suppose it is."

Clearly having all of Evelynn's attention, Shauna gave a little wink before she said, "How 'bout you and I talk about mine and your likes and dislikes, hm?"

"Okay, then." Evelynn gently swirled her glass around in a circle after taking another sip from her drink. "If you're so eager to know who I am."

"'Course, why wouldn't I be?"

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Hours had passed and soon, the warm sun had finally retired from its place in the sky and was replaced by a bright full moon and thousands of stars, which complimented the occasion, _Valentine's Day_, quite fittingly.

Unlike most people during this yearly occasion, Akali wasn't out and about on a date with anyone. She had left her phone in her bedroom and decided against retrieving it before she started on her work project.

Her mind still seemed to be reeling with how Evelynn held her. It felt as if that was their last time seeing each other. With the lack of interaction between them throughout the day, it sure felt like it was. For her, mainly.

The feeling was unusual and it massively unsettled her. She didn't think she'd react like this when the time finally came that she got her apartment all to herself again.

Akali's eating schedule looked like it was on its way in becoming whack again. Ever since Evelynn came and resided with her, she became used to having three full meals a day prepared and enough for two people. Sometimes even more, since Evelynn seemed to know about how big of an appetite she usually has.

The artist groaned and slumped on her chair when her stomach grumbled loudly, its growl practically echoing throughout the room she's in. She sighed and fell forward, her head landing on top of the paper on the desk with a thud.

The progress she made was admittedly impressive, but it didn't help her clear her mind. She placed the pencil down and left the room, heading to the kitchen to find something to sate her appetite.

As expected, instead of checking inside the refrigerator, Akali went straight to one of the cabinets, specifically to where her favorite spicy ramyuns can be found. The second she opened it though, a paper fell and somewhat glided its way to the floor. Before it could touch the ground though, Akali swooped down and caught it. She straightened back up, reading the words neatly scribbled on the note.

_Try eating healthier, okay? Eating ramyun everyday is _ _ **NOT** _ _ healthy._ **\- Evelynn**

Instead of huffing and disregarding the note, Akali smiled and folded the note, placing it on the kitchen island as her hands rested atop the surface. She pursed her lips and tapped her fingers on the counter, trying to think about what she was going to do next.

While doing so, with Evelynn still lingering in her mind and her stomach pleading for her to eat something, she ended up recalling the little promise she made. She had initially told Evelynn she'll bring her out at the end of January once she got her salary, but she forgot. She wasn't too surprised now that she realized that Evelynn didn't even bother reminding her. Of course the goddess wouldn't do that.

Knowing she still had more than enough money saved up to last her until the next cutoff, Akali decided to take a quick shower before she got dressed in a pair of black pants and a maroon button-down. She was slipping on her brogues shoes when she took a glance at the clock, nodding to herself when she saw the time.

**6:38 p.m.**

From what Akali knew, Evelynn usually started on dinner around this time since she only comes home from work around either seven or half-past it. As always, it depends on her workload everyday. Hopefully though, Evelynn had yet to begin in preparing anything, for Akali had every intention in asking her out for dinner.

Phone against her ear, Akali moved onto her left foot, which she slipped into the other shoe while she spoke to the person on the other line. As sudden as her plans for dinner was, luck seemed to be on her side.

"So there's one table free for reservation?" Akali asked, trying her hardest not to sound too eager.

"Yes, madame. There are, in fact, two more." The man on the other line replied in what seemed to be a very butchered French accent. "We don't usually take sudden reservations like this, but since it's the month of love, we are more _accommodating_ with couples."

Akali felt herself blush a bit with the term used, but she figured she could only get this one if she just went with it. "Uh, yeah, I was planning on taking this, um, girl that I like there. To impress her and all."

"Say no more then! The table's yours!" The accent was suddenly dropped, only to be replaced by what Akali thought as an accent picked up by Ionians that grew outside the nation itself. "And what may your name be, lovely lady?"

"Uhh, it's Akali. Tethi Akali." She replied, finding the sudden shift of of the man's demeanor quite surprising.

"Tethi... Akali..." The man murmured her name as he wrote her name on the reservation list.

"Rakan, get back to serving tables!" Came a voice from the other line, irritation ringing in their words.

"On it, boss!" The man, Rakan, called back before getting back to Akali and saying, "Don't worry, Miss Akali, your table is reserved for you and your date for tonight. We'll be expecting you!"

"Rakan!"

_ **Click!** _

Akali looked down on her phone when the call ended, momentarily baffled by how the call went. Regardless how weird it was, she did get a reservation. Now, all there's left to do is get her date.

Friend, she means.

It wasn't like this was a date _date_. Like the type that lovers do. This was just a _friendly_ date between two _friends_.

She just hoped that Evelynn would say yes to her invitation.

Akali had chosen to prioritize this one first instead of returning the missed calls and messages Kayn apparently sent her. She hadn't paid attention to her phone, so she ended up missing Kayn's invitation for a date of their own.

Kayn could wait, she had thought.

Rushing out of the apartment, locking the door behind her after doing so, Akali started knocking on Evelynn's door. She was hoping she wasn't too late and that the woman hadn't either started cooking or preparing for dinner early.

Due to the growing panic within her when she obtained no immediate answer from the goddess, Akali knocked again. This time though, her pace of knocking was quicker and unnecessarily frantic.

Meanwhile, in the designated apartment...

Evelynn had literally cut her shower time short, stepping out of the stall and wrapping herself up in a towel after drying her hair a little. The knocks got louder when she went out to the living room, crossing the space and finally arriving to the door.

"Evelynn? You there?" Akali called out from the hallway, saving her the need to peek through the peephole of the door.

Thinking it was something urgent due to the hurried knocks, Evelynn didn't think telling Akali to wait for a moment and let her dress was a reasonable choice. Unlocking the door, she twisted the handle and pulled it open to finally see what all the panic was about.

"Darling, are you okay?" Evelynn immediately asked, eyes scanning Akali entirely to see if there was something wrong with the artist.

"Whoa-kay!" Akali abruptly spun around, turning her back to Evelynn, while her face practically burned with an obvious blush. "You're not wearing anything."

"I'm wearing a towel." Evelynn corrected once she finished her assessment on Akali. Clearly, her creator was definitely unharmed by anything. "I would have gotten dressed if your knocks didn't seem as if the whole apartment is on fire."

Akali winced, her embarrassment flaring. "R-Right. _Gomenasai_..."

Evelynn softly sighed before smiling to herself. This was the second time she was seeing Akali dressed in a semi-formal attire. Yes, all she could see was Akali's back, but regardless, it was like the first time though. Her creator looked as stunning as she is charming in the goddess' eyes.

"Going somewhere tonight?" Evelynn queried, brushing back her still damp hair.

"Actually..." Figuring it would be more polite and conversation-appropriate to face Evelynn, Akali turned back around and made sure to focus on looking at Evelynn's face. It was quite a struggle to not look lower than that. "I want to keep my promise to you. It's the reason why I'm here."

"Your promise?"

"Yeah. Remember when I apologized to you a few weeks ago?"

"What about it?"

"Well..." Akali huffed in a breath before giving a small smile. "I figured I could finally take you out for the meal I promised you that time."

Evelynn blinked, genuinely surprised. "Like... a date?"

"Kinda...?"

"I thought you and Kayn would be out on your own date tonight."

"He _did_ ask, but my phone wasn't with me when he texted and all."

"Oh, so I'm just a back up Valentine, then?" Evelynn teasingly questioned, crossing her arms in front of her.

"What? Valentine? What do you mean?"

"It's Valentine's Day, darling."

"So _that_ explains why Kayn wanted to go out today!" Akali uttered in realization, eyes wide when she realized the day she had somehow wasted by working.

"I'm sure it's not too late." Evelynn half-heartedly shrugged. "You and him and still go out."

"With how you always act around me, I figured you'd want me to choose you over him." Akali said, not exactly thinking her words would have an impact on their supposed casual talk.

"But that will never happen, will it?"

Akali, whose gaze had wandered to the side a moment earlier, snapped back to Evelynn, who looked at her with a saddened gaze. "What do you mean?"

Evelynn sighed, stepping back and opening the door further. "If we're going to have _this_ conversation now, I think it's much better to have it with me clothed."

"Right, right. Sorry."

Few minutes later, Akali was settled on the three-seater couch in the living room, turning to Evelynn once the woman entered her sights, fully decent now.

Although she had yet to receive a complete response to her invitation, Akali felt a bit happy when she saw Evelynn wearing a nice dress that matched her red button-down. It was a sign that the goddess was at least considering dinner with her.

"What did you mean earlier?" Akali asked, shifting on the sofa to face her seatmate to resume their halted conversation.

Evelynn took a deep breath, hands clasping together on her lap. "It's exactly what I said it is."

"Eh...?"

"I'm not calling you out or anything, but we both know that if you were to choose who to go out with for a date, you'd immediately say Kayn."

"That's... kinda obvious. I mean, I _do_ like him."

"And I love you."

It was like those abrupt love confessions people saw in movies.

Akali _felt_ like she was in one of those kinds of films.

One audible beat of her heart echoed in ears the second she heard Evelynn's straightforward response to her. It came out of the blue and it was said with absolute certainty.

Evelynn calmly gazed back at her, face seemingly torn in either showing a calm façade or just letting it slip off and reveal the heartache she's been experiencing.

An unsure laugh was the first thing that left Akali before said, "You can't possibly mean that, right?"

"And if I do?" Evelynn returned with another question of her own. "It would be useless, wouldn't it? You like Kayn and you seem to be happier with him."

"I know you said you know me. Better than anyone else, you said. But, you can't possibly know everything I _feel_."

"It's just what I see, Akali. You prefer his company more than mine. In fact, you and him getting together has always been something on your mind."

"Yeah, because I _like_ him."

"Then why are you asking me out on date instead of him?"

Akali tossed her hands up halfway, standing up as she paced in front of Evelynn, turning and standing right in front of her as she asked, "_Why_ does it sound like you're jealous of him?"

"That's because I am." Evelynn nearly snarled out when she stood up, prompting Akali to step back in order for them not to bump into one another.

"But why? You're just...-"

"I'm just the woman you created out of your own imagination." Evelynn cut her off, stepping forward. "The same woman that you created to be in love with you."

Akali was speechless and was only able to manage half a step backwards. Evelynn was practically up against her face, amber eyes piercing through her like knives.

"But I guess that's too much of a far-fetched story for you to believe in, isn't it?" Evelynn smiled bitterly, retreating by turning away and taking a couple of steps away from Akali. She covered her face as she sighed before letting her arms drop, but not facing her creator again. "I dressed up because a part of me wants to go on this date with you, but another part is _yellin_g at me and saying that it'll only be me rubbing salt on my own wounds."

"...You don't want to go out, then? With me?" Akali wasn't trying to push her luck. She just wanted to know. Truthfully, she was disappointed that Evelynn was turning her down. Her denial within refused to admit that she felt a pang in her heart upon hearing the indirect rejection.

"I want to, Akali. Believe me, I _really_ do." Evelynn finally spun back around, facing her with a pleading gaze. "But my heart can't take this push and pull. I'll only hurt myself if I say yes."

"Evelynn..."

Approaching the drawing artist once again, Evelynn placed her hands on her shoulders as their eyes never left one another. A pained smile reached her lips as she said, "Go out with Kayn, Akali. Just give me time. I'll... I'll move on from you."

Akali stared back at Evelynn, unable to think of a reply.

With Evelynn's right hand moving from grasping Akali's shoulder to gently caressing her cheek, she said, "I'll make sure of it."

Warmth enveloped her when she found herself in Evelynn's embrace again, her arms hesitating in returning the gesture like earlier morning. Once she did reciprocate, she heard the goddess take a shaky breath in.

"Live your life, Akali." Evelynn whispered, eyes looking glassy. "Live your life the way you would have if I didn't came to be."

"Evelynn, I'm... I'm sorry."

Pulling back, Evelynn shook her head and averted her gaze away. "I just can't go out with you, Akali. Not like this. Not with the fact of you liking another person slapping me on the face."

"What do you want me to do, then?" Akali asked, sounding somewhat desperate for a reasonable answer. "I can't just forget about how I used to think and who I liked first before you came. Besides, I'm asking you to go out with me tonight as _friends_, nothing more."

"And don't you see how _that_ hurts me?" Evelynn asked, face turning to unveil suppressed tears layering her eyes. They were stubborn and still refused to fall. "I told you, I _can't_ do this push and pull between us. Akali, please. Give me time to move on. I want to support you and everything you want to do, and I can't do that _entirely_ if I'm still longing for a heart that's not mine to keep."

As much as Akali didn't want to end their talk there, that was the last thing she heard from Evelynn before she found herself back in her apartment.

Laying on her bed with her top halfway unbuttoned and untucked from her pants and her eyes absently gazing at the ceiling, Akali honestly didn't know how to sort out her thoughts. They were chaotically scattered in her head and she didn't know what to do with them.

"Damn it..." Akali muttered, rubbing a hand over her face as Evelynn's heartbroken expression crossed her mind.

It may have been Valentine's Day and was supposedly the day for love, but all Akali could feel was utter stress and confusion.

Why was everything so complicated?

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

As usual, people were still recovering from their weekend break when Monday rolled in. Despite such though, the majority of the staff in _Riot Games_ were working efficiently and were as productive as they normally were.

Well, save for some people like... Akali, perhaps?

Even though there was a paper stuck on the storyboard before her, Akali couldn't sketch the outline she was supposed to handle for today. She gave up when she was unable to meet her own drawing standards after multiple attempts.

Sighing, Akali leaned back on her chair and tossed her pencil on the desk. She had only managed to give another huff of breath before her little solitude was invaded by none other than... a cup of coffee?

Tracing the hand holding out the caffeine, she found Kayn offering it while he held his own cup with his other hand. He nodded at her to take it, which she did after sighing yet again.

"Thanks."

"No problem." Kayn returned before pulling the vacant swivel chair from the neighbouring workstation. "You okay? Bad weekend?"

Akali shook her head light while she drank from her coffee. "It's really hard to explain."

"Okay, well, maybe I could ask you a few questions? Y'know, about my calls and texts?"

"Oh, yeah, those..."

Akali didn't send any forms of response to Kayn throughout the weekend, so it's obvious why the guy wants some answers. After all, she did disregard him during Valentine's Day.

"I'm really sorry for not replying or calling back." Akali apologized with a light embarrassed blush on her face. "I just had my hands full during the weekends and my phone wasn't really in my list of priorities that time."

"It's cool. I mean, we all go through stuff."

"Thanks for understanding, Kayn."

Kayn smiled. "You're welcome, Kali. You don't have to explain any more, don't worry."

"Maybe we can have dinner tonight?" Akali asked, thinking of the date as more like a form of apology rather than something romantic. "Maybe at a fast-food restaurant at least, since reservations for fancy places are really hard."

"Like, a late Valentine's Day date?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Sure, that'd be great." Kayn offered a small grin. "My treat."

"What? No! _I_ asked you out, so I'm supposed to be the one to pay."

Kayn waved her off, chuckling. "Technically, I asked you _first_. Two days ago, remember? So, it's going to be my treat and you can't do anything about it."

Akali sighed but decided to surrender, not wanting to further prolong their little bickering. As much as she probably would've enjoyed Kayn's company, she was more spaced out and was focused on the idea of making it up to Evelynn after their emotional conversation.

"So, Akali...-"

"Kayn." A voice interrupted Kayn, prompting the two of them to turn to the direction of the voice, only to find their team leader standing behind Kayn himself.

Shauna was wearing her usual white button-down shirt and black vest outfits, sleeves rolled up as always and eyes scrutinizingly regarding them through her seemingly favorite red sunglasses.

"Miss Vayne." Kayn greeted louder than Akali, standing up from his chair immediately.

"Have you finished the layout I told you to submit?"

Kayn shook his head. "Not yet, ma'am. Sorry."

"Get to it, then."

"Yes, ma'am."

With a quick glance and wave at Akali, Kayn hastily excused himself and left the two women alone. Despite the both of them being the only ones present in the workstation, Shauna chose to occupy the vacated swivel chair and spoke in a quiet volume only enough for them to hear.

"Is Evelynn alright?"

Akali felt like she almost fell off her chair the second the question reached her ears. "What?"

"You heard me loud and clear," Shauna coolly replied. "so I'm hoping for an outright response."

"How do you know Evelynn?"

"Is she alright?"

"You're not answering my question." Akali pointed out, only to receive an immediate retort.

"And neither are you." Shauna smoothly shot back. "This talk of ours right now is between two people involved with one person, instead of a boss and employee discussion."

"I'm not _'involved'_ with her like that."

Shauna quirked an eyebrow. "You're not?"

"No."

"Then you won't mindi if I take her?"

"Excuse me?" Came Akali's query of disbelief.

"You heard me, Miss Tethi." Shauna crossed her legs as she leaned back. "Clearly, you are more interested in Mister Shieda rather than the gorgeous woman you used to share your apartment with."

"How do you know she was my roommate?" Boss or not, Akali narrowed her eyes. "And why do you care about her anyway?"

"Because she and I went out for breakfast yesterday." Shauna simply replied with a brief gesture of her hands. "I'm sure you know what people do on dates. She told me a couple of things and honestly, I didn't expect she'd be head over heels for someone like you."

Akali wore an offended face, staring back at her superior as she questioned, "What does that supposed to mean?"

Instead of answering directly, Shauna uncrossed her legs, leaned forward and spoke in a low volume. "You're _hurting_ her. I don't know if you know, but I'm telling you now. If you don't have any feelings for her, then...-"

"I'm going to stop you right there." Akali interrupted. "Y'know, I probably should have expected she'd attract _you_ of all people. You have a big head and you think you can just walk into her life and sweep her away."

"That's because I can," Shauna withdrew her phone from her pocket, glancing at the screen before showing it to Akali as she stood up. "and I will."

Akali's face drained its color once she caught sight of Evelynn's caller ID across the phone screen. She watched with a somewhat horrified look as Shauna stood up and turned away, answering the call.

"You called." Shauna sounded quite happy when she placed her phone against her ear and spoke with the goddess. "I admit, I'm surprised you took initiative this time."

Akali could feel her frustration return, her fists clenching as she listened to the fading conversation of her boss' conversation with her creation.

"Dinner tonight?" Came Shauna's seemingly genuinely surprised voice. "Sounds like a wonderful idea."

No, it was _not_ a wonderful idea. In fact, it was a _terrible_ one.

For Akali, at least.

...

...

...

...

...

Sitting on one of the tables at _Birdio's_, Akali and Kayn had ordered themselves one full meal each for their little dinner date. Although Akali's pretending was somewhat convincing at first, she wasn't successful in keeping it consistent.

"And then, Ekko said Senna did it, while Senna was _literally_ right behind him!" Kayn laughed at his own story, while Akali only managed to nod and force out a chuckle-like laughter.

She couldn't focus on her date. Not with everything between her, Evelynn and _her boss_ happening right now. It's not like she wanted to be caught up in this situation. Being confused with her feelings was just unsettling and with these problems bugging her, she couldn't completely decipher them.

Akali may have been the one that accused Evelynn of being jealous, but at least the siren was brave enough to own up to it. As for her, she couldn't even come to terms with the fact that she didn't want to surrender Evelynn to someone else just like that.

It's selfish and she knew that.

"Akali?"

Hurriedly shaking her head, Akali whipped her wandering gaze back to Kayn, who looked at her with a curious look. "Uhh, sorry, Kayn. Did you say something?"

"You seem distracted lately." Kayn pointed out with a tilt of his head instead of repeating what he was telling her. He didn't seem to be angry with her lack of attention. "Is everything okay?"

Akali tried finding a reasonable answer, but she only ended up looking into Kayn's eyes. The more she stared back at him, the more she found herself yearning to find gold amber irises instead of the hazel brown hues her current date possessed.

"Okay, uh, Kayn, can we talk? Like, a real serious talk."

"Yeah, sure, but only if you answer my question first."

"Alright...? What's your question?"

Kayn leaned in, placing his elbow on the edge of table as he asked with a knowing look, "Who are you thinking about?"

"Wait, isn't the right question _'what'_ am I thinking about?"

The man shook his head. "Nope. _Who_ is more accurate, and don't tell me it's me, because clearly, it's someone else."

Akali sighed, rubbing a hand over her face for a second. "I'm really sorry, Kayn. I know this was supposed to be our late Valentine's date, but I just... I just can't take my mind off of someone."

"And I understand that." Kayn offered a sympathetic smile. "Since you're telling me this now, I... was actually in a serious relationship before I came here into the city. I only broke up with my ex-girlfriend because we weren't really sure how we'd make the long-distance thing work."

"Why are you dating me, then?"

Kayn's cheeks became a bit red as he admitted, "Your personality reminds me of her. I'm clearly still not over her completely and... I don't know. I don't really know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"That's what dating is for, I guess." Akali murmured as she brushed some of her bangs away from her face. "To see if you're ready for another relationship or not."

"Yeah, probably..."

"If only the whole thing was easy though." Akali muttered, sounding troubled.

"I know, right?" Kayn let out a light chuckle before smiling at Akali and saying, "Y'know, whoever this person is you're thinking about, they seem to be really special to you."

"I... I _kno_w she is." Akali found herself honestly uttering, sighing heavily. "But, I'm just too much of a coward to admit it, or even accept it at all."

Kayn raised an eyebrow, looking surprised and amused. "She?"

Akali suddenly stilled, realizing what she slipped up. She looked at Kayn wide-eyed, lips opening and closing and obviously unable to form any comprehensible speech.

"Can I know her name at least?" Kayn asked curiously, his smile remaining on his lips. "She seems to have real effect on you."

"Her name's Evelynn." Akali murmured, cheeks slightly coloring. "I based my character design on her."

"She inspired you, then?"

Mutely, Akali nodded.

"It's really obvious you have a lot to think about, Akali. Especially with the stuff about this Evelynn girl. Want me to take you home?" Kayn offered. "As much as I want to continue this date and all, it looks like you really, really, _really _need some time to just sit down and think."

"...Yeah. I guess it's much better if I sort it all out first."

If Akali were to be asked before Evelynn came if she would turn Kayn away like this, she probably would've shook her head furiously and exaggeratedly say that she would do anything to go out with him.

But all of that was just based on a crush.

Kayn's a carefree guy and more than just decent, but Akali knew what mainly attracted her to him was the fact that he's good-looking.

Maybe she was just swept along with their other co-workers and how more than a handful of them had a crush on Kayn. Who knows, right?

They both rode to her apartment in a cab and of course Kayn was a gentleman and walked her up to her apartment. Their date didn't end so soon though. Once the two of them stopped in front of Akali's door, they both turned to one another, flashing sheepish smiles at one another.

"I'm really sorry, Kayn. About all this."

"Hey, I'm the one asking you out on dates even though I haven't moved on from my last girlfriend." Kayn said with a little grin.

"Yeah, but like we said, right? That's what dating is for."

"Can I try something though?" Kayn asked, sounding almost hesitant.

"What is it?"

"Yeah, uh, just... Just stay still, okay?"

Akali quietly sucked in a breath once Kayn gently held her face and slowly pulled her in, inching their lips towards one another little by little. They were literally _inches_ away from each other. Both of them could hear their heartbeats ringing in their ears, each pound of the beating organ deafening.

But before the kiss could _actually_ happen, Kayn stopped and looked into Akali's eyes, which met his gaze through her lashes. He smiled as he whispered oh so quietly.

"This feels wrong, doesn't it?"

"...Yeah." Akali gave a short and soft laugh. "It's... It's not working out."

Kayn chuckled, mentally agreeing. "I get it."

** _Click!_ **

The two of them turned to the door that opened, the panel being pulled back unveiling a magenta-haired woman in the middle of taking out a small bag of trash. It was an unexpected turn of events and it didn't give them the chance to move away from another before they were seen.

Therefore, Evelynn found Akali with her hands on Kayn's forearms, while the man himself had his hands delicately cupping her cheeks.

They both looked like they just _finished_ kissing.

And just like that, Evelynn felt like her entire world _shattered_ before her like how her heart splintered into pieces within her.

"Evelynn, wait...!"

"Sorry for interrupting." Came Evelynn's cracked apology before she stepped back in her apartment and slammed the door close, the sound of locks being secured echoing in the hall.

"Ah shit..." Kayn stepped back, scratching the back of his head. "Is she...?"

Akali, who was still staring at the closed door with shock, groaned, slapping a hand over her face again. Quietly, she murmured, "Did you see her face? She looked, just, ugh..."

"I probably shouldn't have done that." Kayn said, wearing an apologetic look. "She's the one, isn't she? The one that you've been thinking about?"

Once again, Akali wordlessly nodded.

"I'm, I'm really sorry, Akali. I really am."

"No, no, you didn't do anything wrong. _I'm_ sorry you got sucked into this problem."

"It's alright. It wasn't in your control, so you kinda don't have anything to say sorry for, too." Kayn said, settling on just giving Akali a pat on the arm. "I, uh, guess I'll just see you at work tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow. Work, right."

"Alright then, good night, Akali. Again, sorry for, uh, everything."

"Night, Kayn."

Once Kayn was out of sight and Akali was left alone in the hall, she went straight towards Evelynn's door instead of her own. She hesitantly knocked, placing her ear against the wood as she called out the siren's name.

"Evelynn?"

Silence.

"Can we talk?"

No reply.

"Please?"

...

...

...

Still nothing.

Since she still had work tomorrow, Akali only ended up sighing and just turning away to make her leave. She retreated in her room with her feeling another pang in her chest, heart clenching knowing that Evelynn probably felt worse than she did.

While Akali prepared herself for another sleepless night, her creation was left to her own solitude in her new apartment.

Evelynn was on her bed, staring blankly at the paper she had recently crumpled. It was the sketch Akali made for her. Burning it would be useless and would do nothing to her predicament, so she just raged by crumpling it in a ball and throwing it on the floor.

In her perspective, Akali and Kayn had just finished sharing a kiss and was likely having a moment with one another before she decided to take out the trash and accidentally interrupted it.

Her eyes tightly shut when she envisioned the kiss, teeth clenching and hisses leaving her as she shook her head to rid herself of the hurtful image.

If Akali did find the surprise she left for her, Evelynn was certain she won't be able to keep the promise she had written in the letter she left with it.

This was just _too much_, even for a supposed goddess like her.

Tears fell and Evelynn was left with no other choice but to just weep and let the shards of her broken heart bring her to the embrace of agony.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Uhhh... I'm sorry...? Please don't kill me! I don't mean to hurt Evelynn this way! ;~; (Okay, maybe I'd did, but it was only because I'm trying to make this as realistic as possible and not rush into the Akalynn stuff!)
> 
> Maybe think of this as character and story development? :)
> 
> Yes? No? Okay, I'll see myself out. Sorry.
> 
> Real talk though, thank you for the support, my beloved readers! The reviews you all leave and the messages you send me are much, much appreciated! It, in fact, motivates me to further continue on in writing my stories! ^u^
> 
> Oh, and huge thanks to the cosplayer, @loveofclod from Twitter for the huge burst of inspiration her Akalynn cosplay gave me! 💜👏
> 
> And of course, big thanks to our real life Akali x Evelynn, @RachAsakawa and @rizzyunn for the never-ending inspiration and motivation their own cosplays bring me in writing Akalynn! 💜👏
> 
> Till my next update~


	8. Chapter 8

**ACT 8**

Pacing around her apartment while practically waving the toast that she had been nibbling on for the past half hour, Akali was clearly not going to work anytime soon. She was too stressed to work and she's still too distracted with everything that had happened for the past couple of days.

Akali sighed as she fell onto the sofa, arms limp at her sides and legs stretching across the floor. She may have come to terms with the fact that Evelynn was her creation and although she was still wondering how, she still had to figure out what's behind all these feelings she was having for the siren.

They never left her, truthfully speaking. Even when she was pursuing Kayn, she just pushed them all at the back of her mind, hoping she'd forget about how she missed Evelynn's little gestures.

With everything muddling her mind at the moment, Akali was honestly surprised that she even realized that she had bumped her foot against something under the coffee table.

Eyebrows furrowing and hands pushing herself up in a much comfortable position, her eyes landed on the package underneath. She reached for the item, raising it up in the air a tad bit to inspect it.

"What the hell...?"

Deciding on just checking what it was, Akali tore the magenta-colored wrapper until she was able to unveil the video game console she had been initially saving up for. On top of the box was a folded note, which she took, unfolded and started reading.

** _Akali_ ** _,_

_I don't really know how to start this letter, so I'll just write down what's on my mind. You had always been understanding when it came to me. Gave me a roof over my head when I had nowhere to go. Put up with all the ridiculous things I did. Even now, I don't know what I could've done just to have you take care of me after all that I did to you._

_I wish you luck with Kayn. He seems to be a nice man. I await the day you get to kiss him, because you and I both know that's what would make you truly happy._

_And if you're happy, I promise to you that I'll be happy. Let's smile together, Akali. That's the only thing I could ever ask._

_(I hope you enjoy playing with this console. I know you've wanted this for so long.)_

_Love,_   
** _Evelynn_ **

Of course there was _this_ letter. As if Evelynn's reaction from last night and her love confession a few days ago wasn't enough to reach her heart and make butterflies swarm her stomach.

Akali sighed again as she abandoned her couch. All this thinking was getting her nowhere. She might as well try to clear her mind with a walk around outside. At this rate, she'll just drive herself crazy with all the pondering she's been doing.

Making sure she had her wallet and apartment key with her and in her pocket, she went to the door and stepped out of her apartment.

Only to find one of her neighbors' child, Nunu, seated on the floor right beside the doorway of Evelynn's apartment, drinking a mug of hot chocolate while reading the comics he had on his lap.

When Akali's door opened though, it captured the boy's attention. Deep blue eyes averted from the comics and focused onto the artist now looking at him with a somewhat surprised and curious gaze. He just stared at Akali with a bit of a wide look, silently asking her why she herself was staring and what she might want from him.

"Uhh, what're you doing out here in the hall?"

"Waiting for Willump."

"Your dog?"

"Yeah."

Akali points at the door across hers. "He's in there?"

"Mm-hm." Nunu then nodded at the closed door. "Willump heard her crying."

"Crying? Evelynn was crying?"

Instead of answering immediately, Nunu scooted closer to the door and placed his left ear against it for a couple of seconds before nodding and moving back to his previous spot. He turned to Akali and said, "She's _still_ crying. I heard Willump whimpering, too."

Akali winced upon hearing that. "Oh..."

Shifting and fidgeting on her place, Akali continued to watch Nunu read his comics with an entertained gleam in his eyes. She was torn in either continuing to go for her walk, or to try and wait to see if she'd be able to catch Evelynn for them to have their much needed conversation.

After a fairly long moment, a click and another opening of a door stole the two's attention, prompting them to turn to the apartment unit at Akali's left, where Nunu's adoptive mother came out with a thermos and a bag of chips. Lissandra nodded at Akali and greeted her in a quiet murmur, causing the artist to nod back and sputter out a response.

Lissandra turned her focus to her son, handing him the items she had in hand. "You should try to offer some to Evelynn. It might cheer her up, even if it's a little bit."

Nunu smiled and took the stuff from his parent. "Thanks, Mom. I'm sure she'll cheer up once she drinks this."

Smiling and giving her son a small pat on the head, Lissandra reminded him to come home once he manages to give the thermos to Evelynn and when Willump's finally done comforting the said woman. She excused herself before heading back to their apartment unit, quietly shutting the door behind her and leaving her son back to his own devices again.

"Do you, uh, know why she's crying?" Akali asked, sounding hesitant as she did.

Nunu shrugs, setting the thermos beside him before opening the bag of chips his mother brought out for him. "Willump told me it was because of _'heart trouble'_. I don't know. Maybe she's sick."

"You... think so? And, wait, you understand your dog?"

"Yeah." Nunu briefly stared at the door before turning back to Akali. "I hope Miss Evelynn's okay though. Willump really likes her, and I don't want him to lose a friend. He rarely makes friends."

The genuine concern showing on Nunu's face was able to bring a small smile on Akali's lips. She felt a little thankful someone like Nunu were friends with Evelynn and was getting all this support from him and his dog.

Akali closed her apartment door and stared at Evelynn's own door, her azure gaze shining with concern for the woman inside. The expression she had seen Evelynn had worn when she saw her nd Kayn in the middle of their almost-kiss, it looked as if she had _betrayed_ her. As if she cheated on her, despite the fact that there was no definite romantic involvement between them.

By the time she realized she was just absently staring at the wooden panel, Akali had been standing there like an idiot for what seemed to be fifteen minutes. She was only brought back to attention when Nunu spoke up after swallowing the chips he had been chewing.

"What?" Nunu asked, taking notice of how she was just standing there like some sort of mindless statue.

"I _might_ have a clue why she's crying."

"You do?" Nunu suddenly looked so hopeful. "Do you think you can help her, then?"

"I don't know, maybe?"

** _Click!_ **

Both Akali and Nunu's attention snapped towards the door that clicked before opening enough for Willump's entire self to comfortably step out on the hallway. Willump licked at Nunu's cheek in greeting as he exited, but he turned to face the door again once he was completely out on the hall. He sat down and whimpered at the door, where they all found Evelynn peeking through the opening, which became smaller than it was initially.

"Thank you for letting me borrow him." Evelynn murmured, one of her eyes barely seen thanks to the door and some of the the hair on her face. Due to the panel's positioning and her current place, she didn't spot Akali, who was literally right there in front of her.

"Did he cheer you up?"

"A little."

"Maybe this'll do the job, then." Nunu said, standing up before picking up the thermos and handing it to Evelynn. "Mom made you some hot cocoa."

"Tell her thank you." Evelynn offered a little smile as she thanked Nunu, reaching out to ruffle his hair for a moment.

"Would you like Willump to stay over later?"

"I'm fine, little darling. Thank you."

"Okay." After Nunu slung an arm around Willump, he turned to Akali and nodded her head to Evelynn's direction. "You can talk to her if you want."

Nunu hadn't even finished packing his things up when Evelynn abruptly shut the door, especially when she realized that Nunu was most likely talking to her creator. Despite not even catching sight of the latter, she didn't hesitate in making sure the door was close and locked.

Akali half-heartedly waved goodbye to Nunu and made sure to take a step away from a lowly snarling Willump before the boy and his pet entered their own home. Once the duo were gone, she approached Evelynn's door and knocked thrice on the wood, calling out.

"Hey, Evelynn? You still there?"

Nothing.

"I want to talk."

Still no response.

Regardless of having no spectator whatsoever, Akali shifted uncomfortably in her place. "We really have to talk about what happened and what you saw last night."

On the other side, Evelynn was seated on the floor and had her back pressed against the door. She was wearing a pair of plain white and black shorts and a simple, white long-sleeve shirt.

Knees hugged and tucked against her torso, her hands absently rubbed over her arms to draw a bit of warmth. She wanted to see Akali, that much was true, but she couldn't bear to face her with the memory of hers and Kayn's _'after-kiss'_ moment ghosting her throughout the previous night and the earliest hours of today.

They didn't kiss, but Evelynn didn't know that.

The option of responding to Akali's calls were pushed out of her choices. She knew that if she were to hold even the briefest conversation with Akali, even if they have a door between them, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from leaving her hiding place just to look into the azure hues.

"Evelynn, please." Akali pleaded, knocking on the door. "I want to talk to you. Heck, I want to see you."

Evelynn shook her head, trying to elude herself from giving in to the urge of opening the door and letting Akali in. She had to move on from the artist, but she had asked for time for such to be possible. It was too soon to hear from her that she and Kayn have _finally_ had their first kiss.

"You really won't open the door?"

In spite of not being seen by Akali, Evelynn shook her head in response. It made her feel like a child, but she couldn't bring herself to care about how she acted right now.

A heavy sigh was heard, followed by a few footsteps and finally, the audible sound of another door opening and closing. Once she was sure Akali was gone from the hall, Evelynn gave out a breath.

Standing up from the floor, Evelynn made her way to the living room with the thermos of hot cocoa Lissandra and Nunu had given her. She approached the long couch, where she was crying at earlier while Willump tried consoling her by snuggling against her side and whimpering.

Gathering all the used-tissue, she tossed them in the trash before plopping down on the cushioned furniture and taking her phone, which was poking out from underneath one of the throw pillows.

There were a couple of text messages across her screen, each one of them belonging to her fellow creations.

**Rakan**: Be there around two, ye? Bought you some chocolate to cheer you up!

**Vi**: Me (and maybe Cait?) will drop by around two or three, 'kay? She baked you some cupcakes!!

**Kai'Sa**: We're on our way, hang tight, alright? Everything's going to be okay...

In total, there would probably be three to five people about to visit her in her current residence. Maybe even six if Rakan decides to bring Xayah along with him. With or without their respective partners though, Evelynn was just thankful she had her fellow creations to rely on in these times.

These were the times she wondered how the others handled their lives and how they managed to make it work with their creators.

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

"Evelynn!"

The mentioned goddess nearly stumbled when Kai'Sa threw herself towards her for a big hug, one that was warm and tender and made her sigh in momentary contentment. She hugged the dance instructor in return, managing to offer a small smile when they both pulled back.

"Siv couldn't make it because she had to do something for her dad, but I'm here! And so are they!" As Kai'Sa said this, she stepped aside and let Rakan dash towards Evelynn and sweep her up in his arms, spinning around in a circle as he hugged her.

"Heyah, Evie!" Rakan greeted, twirling them both in quick circles before placing the woman back down. He picked up the paper bag he had dropped initially, bringing it up to view as he said, "I got us some chocolates! Dips, syrups and classic bars, you name it! Oh, and Xayah also had me pack some strawberries and marshmallows in here. Told her it was your favorite."

"Hey there, Eve." Vi gave her own greeting as she closed the front door behind her, presenting a plain-looking box filled with sweet, delicious cupcakes. "Cait still had some work to handle down at the precinct, so she couldn't make it. But, she did make _these_ to cheer you up."

Evelynn offered a smile at the trio, but the curve on her lips didn't reach her eyes, which were a bit puffy with all the crying she had done. "I guess you've all heard of what happened."

Kai'Sa nodded. "Zilean told us. He felt your heart break."

"It's just a broken heart." Evelynn shook her head dismissively, leading the three to the living room as she tried convincing herself that she could recover so quickly from such pain. "How bad could it be, right?"

"_Just_ a broken heart?" Vi scoffed, making sure she took a seat right beside Evelynn on the couch. "Zilean told us what you felt and y'know what? What you felt was what _I_ went through when Cait told me she was going to go through with what her parents wanted and that she was going to marry Jayce."

Evelynn glanced at Vi, lips curving down into a frown.

"And she cried like a baby that time." Rakan pointed out, falling onto the armchair beside the couch.

"_Thank you_ for mentioning that, Rakan. Really appreciate it." Vi sarcastically thanked, shooting Rakan a short glare before refocusing her attention back to Evelynn. "What I'm trying to say here is that I feel your pain, okay? And the three of us are here to help you through it."

"Yeah, Eve." Kai'Sa, who had seated herself at the remaining space at Evelynn's left, placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze as an added gesture of comfort. "You'll never have to handle all this pain alone, alright?"

With the reason why they were there in the first place and the words of reassurance and comfort they uttered, Evelynn couldn't stop the tears that began to pool at the corners of her eyes.

Before she could slump on the couch and cover her face, Vi wrapped an arm around her shoulders and reached towards her face with a handkerchief in hand. The pinkette gently wiped her tears away before they ran down her cheeks completely, adding a comforting smile to her gesture.

"If it really hurts to talk about what happened, we don't have to, well, talk about it." Rakan said, half-heartedly shrugging. "We could maybe... eat chocolate? They're really sweet. Like you."

Evelynn released what seemed to be a breathy laugh, thankful that Rakan's little quips was still able to cheer her up. She spied Kai'Sa giving Rakan a supposed subtle thumbs up, also grateful that he was able to coax a positive reaction from the siren.

When she was finally able to stop her tears from falling, she settled on just laying in Vi's arms, while her right hand was interlocked with Kai'Sa's own.

"I don't know how you three survived this heartache." Evelynn murmured, eyes casting low as she absently stared at the floor. "How _all of you_ handled it."

"My situation with Xayah wasn't _this_ dramatic." Rakan said with a mildly sheepish look. "The only big problem we had was the whole freak accident, but that technically brought us closer to each other."

"As for me and Siv," Kai'Sa started, thumb casually brushing against Evelynn's hand. "we're both creations. Our father's lives are somewhat connected, albeit distantly, but still. Our relationship was mostly smooth-sailing."

"Out of us three, I'm the one who had to go through the same Hell you're going through now just to get my girl." Vi said, giving the top of Evelynn's head a little nuzzle with her cheek. "And boy, it was _not_ easy."

"Have you ever seen Jayce and Caitlyn kiss before you and her got together?" Evelynn asked the Deputy, looking up to make eye contact.

Vi's cheeks became slightly pink, her free hand rubbing her nape as she said, "I kinda did. Practically every other day when I started working in the station. Jayce would usually visit and give gifts or flowers to Cait. He never left without giving her a kiss on the cheek."

"Just on the cheek?"

"Yeah, but it hurt, y'know? Seeing the girl you want being all lovey-dovey with someone that's not you."

"That's what I saw." Evelynn murmured, head bowing once again as she painfully recalled the memory of Akali and Kayn's after-kiss moment. "But instead of a kiss on the cheek, it was on the lips."

"Akali kissed Kayn on the lips? You saw them?" Kai'Sa asked in a careful tone.

"Strange... I thought she was taking you out on a date the other day." Rakan muttered to himself, voice not too loud for the others to hear.

"I didn't exactly see the kiss, but..." Evelynn sighed, body slackening in Vi's arms even more. "...it looked like they had just finished."

"Sorry you had to go through that, Eve." Vi said with a sympathetic face, giving her shoulder a light squeeze of comfort.

"It's... It's fine. She's happy, so I'll eventually learn how to be happy for her."

"This relationship she has with the guy, is it _really_ serious?" Rakan queried with a tilt of his head. "I mean, you don't know, right? Maybe it's just those typical casual dating stuff. It's pretty common."

"Well, even if it is, it still hurts like hell for Eve here." Vi grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

"Y'know what, how about we take your mind off all this and just eat these treats we brought for you?" Kai'Sa suggested, especially when she saw Evelynn's lips quiver ever so slightly. "These are your favourites, right? Strawberry dipped in chocolate, eh?"

"Yeah! Chocolate always makes _me_ feel better." Rakan immediately encouraged, especially when he realized what Kai'Sa was trying to do.

"Stress-eating might not cure that broken heart of yours, but," Vi gave Evelynn's cheek a little poke, flashing a grin as she said, "it does help, doesn't it?"

"I suppose it helps a little bit..."

"That's good enough for us! Now come on. Let's eat some before Rakan decides to hog all the chocolates and ends up having diabetes."

Kai'Sa raised an eyebrow at the last statement, commenting, "That is, _if_ he doesn't have it yet."

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

Video console still in the box and on her lap, Akali stared at the item as if it was the most difficult puzzle to ever be presented before her in her entire life. Even when she hadn't returned Evelyn's initial affections the same way, the woman still took it upon herself to buy her this for her.

The sight of the console was enough to keep Akali seated on the sofa and focused on thinking about everything she did wrong. She knew what might be going on in Evelynn's mind right now and she wanted to clear up all the misunderstanding.

Knowing how deep Evelynn's feelings are for her, she knew she had broken the goddess' heart in the most brutal way possible with the sight she and Kayn had unintentionally displayed.

Now she was trying to think about her feelings before she decides on contemplating about how she'll be able to make it all up to Evelynn.

Akali thought about putting herself in Evelynn's place, only for her to flinch the moment she did such.

While she was too busy fawning over Kayn and urging herself to pursue her crush, she ended up pushing aside the person she already had.

Granted, she and Evelynn weren't acquainted properly from the beginning, but that was all in the past. It was done and Akali now knew that she should've taken care of everything with Evelynn first instead of foolishly deciding to brush it all off and continue on with her life as if nothing happened.

Akali huffed.

This somehow reminded her of how her mother treated her and her sister. _Adoptive_ sister, specifically.

_'I'm becoming like my mother.'_ Akali thought, rubbing a hand over her face in exasperation. _'I _**_was_**_ like her when it came to Evelynn.'_

All her life, Akali swore to herself that she would _never_ become like her mother, or at least how she treated the people around her.

With her current situation, it's like she was Mayym, Kayn was her sister, Faey, and Evelynn was her.

Mayym chose Faey over her, and she herself ended up choosing Kayn over Evelynn.

And now, she regretted it.

Heavily sighing, Akali placed the console on the coffee table before pushing herself up. She wanted to make things right and show Evelynn not only the truth, but also the attention she should've given her in the first place.

And sitting here and somehow wallowing in silence was not a good start.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

It was around five in the late afternoon when Rakan and Kai'Sa took their leave and now, it's already half past six when Vi was preparing to make her own departure. The three of them succeeded in stopping the goddess from crying, but that didn't mean their comfort was enough to heal her aching heart.

"Thank you for coming over, Vi." Evelynn murmured as she returned the tight hug she was receiving from the Deputy herself. "I might not show it, but your company and reassurances were really... helpful. I needed it."

Vi flashed a little grin when she retracted, still keeping Evelynn in a loose hold. "Hey, if ever you need anything, I'm just a call away, alright? All of us are."

Evelynn nodded, opening the door for Vi once the latter released her and allowed her to move away. "Can you tell me one thing?"

"What's that?"

"Does it get better?" Evelynn rested a hand on her chest, fingers harmlessly pressing over her beating heart. "The ache, I mean."

Vi smiled, brushing Evelynn's hair back and tucking some of them behind her ear before she gave her a cheek a little stroke. "It will, I'm sure of it."

** _Buzz! Buzz!_ **

The pinkette let out a breathy laugh, pulling her hand away and withdrawing her phone from her pocket, which she checked for the possible message she received from her superior.

"Whoop, it's Cait." Vi told Evelynn as she read the text message she received. "She's downstairs already."

Upon hearing that, Evelynn started nudging Vi out of her apartment. "Go before she gets jealous."

"Heh, okay, okay. Laters, Eve." Vi gave Evelynn a wave and a wink as her last form of goodbye before she spun around and made her way to the door leading to the stairs. Apparently, she's too impatient to wait for the elevator, which seemed to be still at the lobby, probably being boarded by someone else.

Evelynn had literally just closed the door when she heard the elevator's ding echo down the hall. She was halfway to the living room and was about to put away all the unopened treats in the refrigerator when a couple of firm and consecutive knocks sounded.

** _Knock! Knock! Knock!_ **

Her eyebrows furrowed in mild confusion. Had Vi forgotten something?

Evelynn peeked through the peephole, sucking in a breath the second she found her creator standing out on the hallway with a bouquet of flowers in hand. She pulled back, staring at her door with her heart picking up its pace of beating.

"Evelynn?" Akali called out, a hopeful look in her eyes. "Can we talk?"

The urge was there again.

The urge to cry, the urge to open the door and hold Akali as tight as she could, both were clashing within her like fire and ice.

"I... I can't." Evelynn whispered to herself, eyes closing and forehead resting on the surface of the door as she heard the muffled rustle of the bouquet from other side.

Breaking down in front of Akali was the last thing she wanted to do.

Forcing herself to step away from the door, Evelynn spun around and began walking away from the door. It's not that she intended to run. She wanted to give herself some time to adjust with what she thought was a new development in Akali and Kayn's relationship.

But of course, due to Evelynn's decision in not facing Akali right now, the misunderstanding continued to play its part between them both, further inflicting its emotional torments.

Outside the goddess' apartment unit, Akali sighed, rubbing her hand on her neck as she lowered her gaze from door down to the bouquet of tulips she had bought.

_'I need to talk to her.' _Akali thought as she stared at the flowers she had in hand. _'If she could just let me explain everything...'_

Hope wasn't given up so easily though. Akali stood straight as she nodded her head to herself, her determination in setting things right prompting her to go into her apartment, only to come back out a couple of minutes later with a backpack and a soft and thick comforter she had dug out of her closet.

Using the mentioned comforter as a makeshift sleeping mat, Akali started setting up on the hall. She made sure not to take up the entire hallway though, which left a free path to easily walk on without her being a nuisance.

Yes, Akali had every intention in camping out right in front of Evelynn's doorstep as long as it meant she would be finally be able to clear the misunderstanding she had caused.

The whole idea sounded like a real overboard and somewhat unnecessary, but Akali was completely committed to the intention of talking to the siren.

If she had to resort to _thi_s, then so be it.

Akali dragged her bag towards her side, rummaging through it as she thought, _'Now where did I put that sandwich I made...'_

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

Camping out on the cold and hard floor of the hall in a chilly evening probably wasn't Akali's greatest idea. It was around one o'clock in the earliest of morning and Akali was all cocooned in the additional blanket she had wrapped herself with, but it barely fended off the frigid breeze of the night.

Shuddering every now and then in her sleep due to the temperature of her surroundings, it was a surprise that Akali still managed to dream of something rather... _vivid_.

In what seemed to be her dream, the door had opened and Evelynn took her from her little nest, carried her inside the apartment and placed her onto a comfortable bed. It was done with ease and the warmth she felt was so surreal.

What was mostly disappointing here was that Evelynn didn't even steal at least a little kiss from her. Not even one on the forehead. She was hoping the woman would, but she didn't.

As the comfort of the bed relaxed her and the heavenly, sweet scent of the sheets filled her sense of smell, Akali felt more comfortable than she ever was on the floor or in her own bed.

And that was the last thing Akali remembered from that short dream.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Morning came and the sun was unfortunately nowhere to be found. Despite the time being ten o'clock in the morning, the sky was dark and filled with clouds showering cold drops over everything on the ground. It was sunny earlier, but the weather had unexpectedly shifted and the sky was conquered by the rain clouds that rolled in.

Akali woke up when she heard a far-away clap of thunder echo from outside, eyes fluttering open and leisurely looking around her surroundings. Remembering everything from yesterday, she expected to find the landlord probably standing right beside her and regarding her with a scolding look for sleeping at the hallway.

Much to her shock though, Akali found herself laying on a double-bed that possessed sheets and pillows that were _definitely not_ hers. Pushing off her blanket and the one that didn't belong to her, Akali sat up and hastily scanned the room to try and identify her current location.

She saw the small clothing closet at the side was open, which was filled with outfits that belong to a woman. Whose clothes were they though?

Realization then struck and suddenly, Akali became still with shock for the second time.

This was Evelynn's room!

She's in _her_ apartment!

Akali quickly got off the bed, abandoning the blankets, including her own, on the mattress before heading towards the door, only for the sound and feeling of a piece of paper crunching underneath her right foot halting all her movements.

Lowering her gaze and taking a step back, Akali bent down and picked up the crumpled paper she accidentally stepped on. When she took it out of its crushed state, her eyes widened at the sight of the sketch she made of Evelynn. It was the one she drew for Zilean.

A pang reached her heart when she realised that Evelynn must've taken this from her and kept it when she moved away, only to crumple it possibly after seeing hers and Kayn's almost-kiss.

Akali tried her hardest in smoothing out the paper before she left the bedroom, her sock-covered feet nearly causing her to slip on the floor as she made her way to the living room. She was _really_ hoping Evelynn was there.

Unfortunately, her fortune seemed to have run out. Although she did find her shoes, bag and comforter there at the living room and on the sofa, there was not a single sign of Evelynn whatsoever.

"Evelynn?"

Akali sighed when she received no answer. She approached the sofa and withdrew her phone from her bag after folding the sketch and slipping it inside her back pocket. A groan left her when she saw the text messages from her co-workers.

**Qiyana**: Where are you, girl? Mr. Reveck was looking for you

**Ekko**: Yo, Kali! Mr. Reveck's asking where you are! Something about your character proposal or sumthin'

**Kayn**: Hey?? Hope you're doing ok. You're lucky Miss Vayne isn't looking for you.

Out of all the messages and missed calls she received from the mentioned three, the most unexpected one was the last and latest text message in her inbox.

**Vayne**: Will I be expecting you today?  
Clearly not since you're still not here.  
You have until tomorrow to miss work

The messages from her boss made absolutely no sense. In fact, Akali expected Shauna to give her some sort of bias treatment due to her connection to Evelynn and how she was unforeseenly deemed as a rival for the goddess' heart.

Time for her to miss work? Time that was volunteered by Shauna herself? It just didn't make any sense.

Shaking her head, Akali stuffed her phone in her pocket before she slipped her shoes on. It's much easier to walk around the apartment with it to try and see if Evelynn was somewhere in the apartment.

With the size of the unit thought, it took less than three minutes for Akali to conclude her search. Her creation wasn't there, but she did find a note taped just below the peephole of the door.

**Went to work, will be back at 6**   
**Let's talk later**   
**Lock the apartment when you leave**

Just like that, Akali was anxiously looking forward for the talk she's been hoping to have with Evelynn ever since the other night.

Letting out a deep breath, Akali decided to collect her things, including the not-so-fresh bouquet of flowers, and fix up Evelynn's bed before she left the apartment to go to her own to take a quick shower. Most of the morning may have passed, but she figured she should show up at work for a half-day shift to try and lessen the possible punishment she might get for not coming in yesterday.

When she did arrive at work though, she had literally just timed in and haven't even reached her workstation when she crossed paths with Shauna, who had came from the pantry to get herself a mug of coffee.

"Miss Vayne." Akali gave a brief bow, uneasily meeting her boss' gaze.

Shauna eyed her through those red glasses of hers, face completely unreadable. Once she saw Akali swallow quietly, she nodded her head to the direction of the artist's workstation and said, "Get to work. Mr. Reveck wants a fully detailed 3D model of your proposed character today and I expect it from you before you leave work today, understood?"

Akali nodded and instead of letting Shauna wordlessly dismiss her by walking away, she feigned a cough and asked, "You're not going to scold me for missing work yesterday?"

What she received as a reply was nothing but the sight of Shauna disregarding her, the latter making her way to her own work area without even glancing at Akali.

Maybe the cold treatment from her boss wouldn't be such a bad punishment. Akali decided to accept what just happened and head to her own desk to finally work on what her boss asked her to do.

The second Akali sat down on her chair, she focused all of her attention in finishing her given work. Her nervous excitement for her talk with Evelynn was pushed to the back of her mind, which showed how determined she was to complete her task as soon as possible.

Not even Ekko's poking or Qiyana's questions stopped her.

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

"I didn't know you work here." Lucian commented as he accepted the tray holding two cups of coffee he ordered for him and his wife, who he intend to surprise with the caffeine once he drops by at her workplace. "This is the first time I'm seeing you here."

Evelynn softly sighed. "I used to work the evening shifts."

"Oh, you got moved to day shift, then?"

"I have." Evelynn replied with nod. "Listen, Lucian, I can't talk right now. I need to work."

"I heard what happened between you and Akali." Lucian abruptly said, halting Evelynn's departure. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that pain. You doing alright now?"

Again, Evelynn sighed. "I appreciate the concern, Lucian. I really do, but I... have a lot on my mind right now. Just tell the others not to worry about me. I'll be speaking with Akali later tonight and it'll probably settle everything once and for all."

"Hopefully for the best." Lucian stood up from his chair at the table and gave Evelynn a pat on the shoulder, while his other hand held the cardboard tray of the coffee. "I wish you the best, Evelynn. Everyone deserves a little bit of happiness in this world."

Evelynn nodded and offered a small yet sincere smile to him before she left to continue her work, which she accomplished without putting much into it. She was just bringing the orders of the customers to them and cleaning the mess they leave on their tables whenever they finished and left.

Throughout her shift, Lucian's words echoed in her mind, while the memories of what she did a couple of hours ago replayed over and over again in her head.

Evelynn intended to bring out her trash around one o'clock in the morning, thinking Akali would be back in her own apartment. What she didn't expect was to find the said woman shivering at the front of her door. She still didn't know how Akali even endured the cold evening enough to actually fall asleep.

As much as she didn't want to talk to Akali, she could see how Akali was desperate to speak with her. She chose to briefly postpone the chore of taking the trash out, choosing to carry Akali into her apartment and let her continue her slumber on her warm bed.

Evelynn had only come to a decision to finally set a time for her and Akali to speak with one another before she had left for work. She figured she could give this to Akali at least before she decides on distancing herself completely from her creator.

When the time comes that Akali tells her that she and Kayn are official, Evelynn knew it would hurt like a motherfucker, but the artist made her strong, didn't she?

For Akali, she'll _appear_ strong.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

"Weren't you here yesterday?" The owner of the flower shop, Zyra, asked curiously as she finished making another bouquet for Akali. Although it was tulips again, she made sure to change the arrangement as much she could in order not to make an exact twin of the one she made last time.

"Uh, yeah..." Akali's cheeks became a little red in embarrassment. "You recognized me?"

"Well, you did came here yesterday asking me to puts the words _'I'm sorry, I fucked up'_ in a bouquet." Zyra answered with a small shrug, tying the ribbon around the bouquet's wrap.

"Oh, right."

"May I ask what you what you did and why you need these lovely tulips for?"

Akali sighed. "I... I screwed up. It's just _that_, and now, I want to say sorry for it and I want to make it up to someone. Start from very beginning, if she's okay with it."

Zyra quirked an eyebrow, fingers shortly stopping before she untied the ribbon again and started rearranging the flowers, adding yellow and orange tulips to the white ones.

"Uhh, how much is that now? You added more, so I'm guessing that'll cost extra?"

Zyra shook her head. "Same as last time. The ones I added are on me. Besides, it looks like you'll need it."

"Thanks." Akali murmured, hunching her shoulders for a moment in embarrassment.

"Tulips represents forgiveness. Reconciliation, in the cases of relationships." Zyra explained as she swiftly yet expertly finished the arrangement and began tying the ribbon again. "It also means new beginnings. It's perfect for your situation."

Akali took the bouquet once it was done and handed to her, giving Zyra the same amount she had paid when she bought flowers from her last time. "That sounds... cool, actually. I'll make sure to tell her that. That is, if she even accepts these in the first place."

"I sure hope she does, or else all my hardwork is for nothing." Zyra said with a light chuckle. "Good luck."

"Thanks for everything."

Since the flowers shop was only a couple of blocks away from where her apartment is located at, Akali decided to walk the rest of the way back home. This, of course, gave her time to be lost in her head. Even though she was conscious towards her surroundings, her mind wandered back to her recent conversation with Kayn at the office.

_"Hey, what happened to you?"_

_Akali slightly jumped in surprise when Kayn harmlessly gave her shoulder a pat, a reaction that somehow brought the man a mild wave of amusement. He took a step back as Akali withdrew the snack from the compartment of the vending machine, leading his fellow illustrator to a vacant table in their workplace's cafeteria._

_"Sorry 'bout that." Akali murmured, glancing at the snack machine over her shoulder before she started opening the junk food she had in hand._

_"I should be the one saying that, but okay." Kayn said, lightheartedly shaking his head. "So, what happened? Are you and Evelynn...?"_

_Akali shook her head. "We haven't talked."_

_"Oh, I thought you would've, y'know, talked already, 'cause you weren't at work yesterday."_

_For the second time, Akali shook her head. "I tried talking to her, but she just won't open the door for me."_

_"Did she open the door to someone else?"_

_"Yeah, my neighbour's kid and his dog, who looks like he wants to chew on my leg every time he sees me." Akali grumbled, tossing some chips in her mouth after. "Them, and when I asked the landlord before I left earlier and he said some other people also came by and asked which apartment unit Evelynn's in. One of them was even a cop, he said!"_

_Kayn gave Akali a sympathetic look as he said, "Sounds like you have it rough."_

_"Ugh, tell me about it." Akali released a deep and troubled sigh, deeper than the previous ones. "I think this is just karma biting me back in the ass."_

_"What makes you say so?"_

_"I knew."_

_"Knew what?"_

_"Knew that Evelynn has feelings for me. She confessed it to me over and over again and made it obvious from day one and I..." Akali somewhat slumped on her seat. "...I just ignored it. All because I was too hung up on my crush for you."_

_"Honestly speaking, you're a nice girl, Akali." Kayn started as he wore what seemed to a comforting smile. "And somehow, I know what you feel right now. I developed a real crush on you, but when we had that talk in our last date, it made me realize how much I've been trying to force myself to ignore my feelings for my ex. I'm you, and she's like _ _ **my** _ _ Evelynn."_

_A groan. "Why is this whole thing so complicated?"_

_"Love is a messy thing to handle."_

_"Can I ask you something?"_

_Kayn blinked, surprised about how Akali shifted on her seat and directed her gaze at him. "Fire away."_

_"What did you do after our date? Did you...-"_

_Kayn chuckled. "If you're wondering if I contacted my ex when I got home, then the answer is yes, I did."_

_"And?"_

_"It was... nice." A grin slowly formed on Kayn's lips as he recalled the long phone call he had with his ex-lover. "Scratch that, it was amazing. The second I heard her voice, I felt really happy. That's when I decided to just ditch the detached, bad boy attitude I always showed her and just ask her outright if there was still hope for her and me."_

_"Judging from that grin of yours, she said yes."_

_Kayn nodded. "She did. She said her mom has a business trip here in Valoran next week and that she convinced her to bring her as a plus one. We already have a date set, actually."_

_The man she used to pine over may not be the one for her, but looking at Kayn now, she was just glad that he's found his source of happiness again. She gave him a nudge as she said, "Lucky you."_

_"What about you though?" Kayn queried, nodding at her. "What're you gonna do with Evelynn?"_

_"I don't think calling her up and asking her if there's still hope for she and I would work." Akali half-heartedly cracked her joke, the small smile on her face fading as quickly as it came. "I really want to say sorry to her. I took her for granted and now I feel like I'm drowning in regret. Not to mention the issue with Vayne..."_

_Kayn raised an eyebrow. "Issue? With our team leader? _ _ **That** _ _ Vayne?"_

_This time, Akali was the one who nodded. "Yeah, her."_

_"You serious? You have a love triangle with our boss?"_

_"Yeah, I'm serious. She even talked to me about it the other day, told me that if I don't do anything, she'll take Evelynn away from me."_

_"I... thought you didn't have anything going on between you and Evelynn."_

_"_ _ **Exactly** _ _!" Akali nearly shouted out, huffing. "Which is _ _ **why** _ _ I don't have a hold on her, and if Vayne decides to knock on her doorstep, asks if she wants to be whisked away from me and Evelynn says yes, I'm _ _ **screwed** _ _. I won't be able to get her back and I don't have the right to even do so in the first place, cuz I made her cry! More than you'd expect and more than she deserves."_

_"Okay, okay, calm down." Kayn said, giving Akali's shoulder a small squeeze. "I'm sure not everything's too late."_

_"I just... I just want Evelynn to know that I _ _ **do** _ _ feel something for her. But I just don't know how to say it without coming off as if I just went with her because it didn't work out with you. I don't want her to think she's just second best, because she's _ _ **not** _ _. Definitely not."_

_"If only she could see you now..." Kayn murmured, smiling when he heard how passionate and insistent Akali sounded when she voiced out her thoughts._

_"She deserves more... So much more than how I treated her." Akali snarled quietly when her vision turned a bit blurry due to the tears of frustration she threatened on shedding at that moment. She wiped it all away before they could fall. "I just want to make it all up to her."_

_"And you will. I'm sure of it."_

_"How though? How?"_

_Kayn returned his hand on her shoulder and gave her a light shake, an encouraging on his lips as he said, "Just be yourself. That's all you need to do."_

Like what Kayn had said, she just needed to be herself. She shouldn't hold any thoughts or feelings back once she starts talking with Evelynn, that's it. But, as she thought about the possible turnouts of their upcoming talk, it made her purse her lips in worry.

What if Evelynn has had enough with her rejections?

What if she finally decided to turn her back on her? Realize that she wasn't the one she deserved?

Akali sure felt like she didn't deserve a second chance, but she was praying to the Heavens and hoped that Evelynn thought otherwise.

Rounding around the corner leading to the street where her apartment can be found, Akali focused her gaze to the path ahead of her, only for such to land on the magenta-haired woman about to reach the front steps of the building.

Surprisingly, instead of heading straight into the building, Evelynn stopped near the open trash bins at the sidewalk. She had her eyes fixated on the bouquet Akali had bought for her yesterday, which was soaked by the rain this morning and looked absolutely dead on top of one of the garbage piles. The artist herself had left it there on her way to work earlier.

Yet, despite its ruined state, Evelynn still seemed to have recognized it.

The goddess stood there and stared at the murdered bouquet for so long, which gave Akali the opportunity to catch up to her. In just a couple of seconds, Akali reached her and greeted her without much of a thought.

"Hey."

Evelynn snapped her gaze to Akali, seemingly surprised at her presence. "Hi."

Greeting exchanged, the two of them stood there on the sidewalk with awkwardness looming over them. Mocking them, even. Akali shifted on her place, glancing down at the new and freshly-arranged bouquet of tulips she had in hand.

Her lips had just parted and uttered the first two letters of Evelynn's name when the latter suddenly cleared her throat and briefly gestured at the steps of their apartment's entrance.

"We should head inside. It's cold out here."

"Oh, right. Yeah, sure."

They both entered the building and even rode the elevator up to their floor together, but Akali still couldn't bring her arm up and give the bouquet to Evelynn, who looked so calm and cool in her cozy black trench coat. Her lips would part in the slightest bit, only to shut close every time she was about to utter something.

Only when they walked down the hall and arrived at the front of their doorsteps did Akali and Evelynn faced one another again.

When Akali did look into Evelynn's eyes, she found it filled with so many emotions. Her face may remain composed and unaffected, but her eyes betrayed her façade and showed the pain she was feeling.

"Is that from Kayn?" It was Evelynn that broke the silence first. Akali wondered at the back of her mind how the woman was even able to flash a smile that looked awfully similar to her usual. "They look..."

Akali was snapped back to her senses when Evelynn halted for a second, attempting to swallow the lump that formed in her throat as inconspicuously as she could.

Evelynn had to cough once before she continued with, "...beautiful. Those flowers look absolutely beautiful."

"It's not from him." Akali finally found her voice again, internally surprised that she didn't stay muted for the entire interaction. "I got this for you."

Unexpectedly, Evelynn gave a soft laugh as she accepted the bouquet, which Akali finally handed to her. "Is this perhaps a belated housewarming gift?"

"Evelynn." Akali may have only uttered her name, but the siren knew what it meant.

It was Evelynn's turn to purse her lips, but as she did, Akali immediately noticed how glassy her eyes became. Her grip around the base of the bouquet tightened for a moment before she spoke back up and asked in plea-like manner, "What do you want me to say? That I'm happy for you and Kayn? Or maybe you want me to say sorry for cutting your moment with him short."

"Evelynn, please." Akali reached forward to try and grasp Evelynn by her arms, but the woman took a step away from her. Although Akali felt her hope wither away oh so slowly, she pushed herself to continue. "Just listen to what I have to say, okay?"

"...Can't." Evelynn shook her head, fingers loosely holding the flowers and threatening to let them fall. "I just can't..."

"Just give me a _minute_ to explain."

"Akali, I _can't_!" Evelynn abruptly shouted, her voice echoing down the hall before it lowered in a quiet whisper-like level. "I can't even look at you right now without feeling my heart break again. I thought I could last through this talk with you without breaking down like this, but I can't, alright? So, please. Give me some time to heal from this."

"Don't go." Akali immediately said, hand shooting forward and grabbing Evelynn's arm. It prevented the siren from retreating in her apartment.

Evelynn took a slightly shaky breath as she looked at Akali with a tear running down her cheek. "How much more are you going to hurt me?"

The question was so simple, but the weight behind each word left Akali's mind blank. The only thing she could focus on at that moment were the tears falling from Evelynn's eyes. Seeing them up close, it showed her how much she had treated the woman so poorly. She was tempted to release her and let her walk away.

Akali felt like the second chance she was hoping to get was something she should never even think about.

The second the bouquet fell on the floor, Akali vanquished the space in between them, wrapping her arms around Evelynn and embracing her as if she was going to disappear if she held her too loosely.

"I'm sorry, Evelynn." Akali whispered, feeling the woman tremble in her arms as she finally stopped withholding her tears. The more she felt her clothes be soaked with tears, the tighter she held the goddess. "I'm so sorry..."

Evelynn didn't fight the artist's hold. In fact, she reciprocated it. Her arms enveloped Akali in return, hands clutching the back of her jacket in a desolate grip. The tears she thought she had already ran out of spilled from her eyes as she began taking audible sobs while she wept.

How long has she yearned for this embrace?

For Akali to make the first move and hold her like this?

Too long, honestly.

"Evelynn, I...-"

"I've waited for this for so long..." Evelynn spoke through uneven breaths, her pain and contentment conflicting with one another. "For you to just hold me like this..."

Akali felt her heart clench painfully at that. She let out a heavy breath before she said, "I don't deserve you..."

Evelynn still continued to tremble in her arms, sobbing quietly. This was a dream come true for her, yet her tears didn't cease.

"I don't deserve you, and I know that." Akali continued, taking a few breaths every now and then as she spoke. "But I want to make everything right. I want us to start over again."

Even though every fiber of her being wanted nothing more but to stay in Akali's arms, Evelynn pulled back, but she only succeeded halfway. With the arms of her creator still locked around her, she was only able to look into the other's blue eyes, faces hovering so close to one another and breaths ghosting over each other.

"But, what about Kayn...?"

Akali shook her head a little, maintaining eye contact as she said, "He and I never kissed. What you saw was not what you thought it was. Please, believe me."

"You... You like him... Don't you?"

"Not the way I like you." Akali said with certainty too sincere for it to even be considered feigned. "Everything's different when I'm with you, but I refused to believe it. When Kayn tried kissing me, it... It was all wrong. I hate myself so much, because I let it reach this point just to realize how much of an idiot I am."

"Akali...-"

"I took you for granted, okay? I know that now and I feel like an absolute asshole for making you go through everything you had. All the pain I caused you, all the tears you shed because of the things I did..." Akali brought a hand up and caressed Evelynn's cheek, tears feeling cold against her warm touch. "I hate myself for it. I'm so sorry, Evelynn. I really am."

The fact that Akali couldn't find any traces of the usually smug and sly attitude of the goddess was proof that she had indeed wounded the woman too deeply. She wasn't sure if she was the one capable of fixing her broken heart, but she sure hope she was. She would try.

Having Evelynn love another person, Shauna Vayne or not, the mere thought was enough for Akali to draw Evelynn back in an embrace. This one exposing more of her desperation rather than acting as a gesture of comfort for the other.

"I want a second chance." Akali said, feeling her own eyes become layered with constricted tears. "You loved me because you thought I'd never hurt you, but I did. This isn't a game, I know that, but I want to try again. _Please_."

Akali wanted to keep Evelynn in her hopeless embrace, but when the woman started moving away again, she forced herself to loosen her arms until they were unwrapped and her hands were left to grasp the siren's sleeves.

Refusing to bow her head in the shame, Akali gazed into Evelynn's eyes as she held her breath, nervously waiting for a response. Evelynn had calmed down a bit, yet her breaths still trembled and ambers remained tearful.

For the first time ever since she came to life, Evelynn actually had the free decision that would change not only hers and Akali's lives, but also their relationship with one another. This particular thought weighed heavily in her mind.

"Do you..." Evelynn started as she rested her hands on Akali's shoulders. "Do you mean what you said? You want to try?"

Akali nodded affirmatively, almost eagerly. "I do. I really do."

"You like Kayn."

"I _did_." Akali said in a heartbeat. "Not anymore though. It might've not been obvious, but... I like _you_, Evelynn. I just had a hard time accepting it. I _denied_ it. Our first meeting overwhelmed me and I ended up basing everything on that. I let it overshadow everything you did for me after, and that was just... wrong of me and unfair to you."

A fairly long, anxious moment passed them and it made Akali more and more distraught, especially when Evelynn was just looking at her with tears still pooling in the corners of her eyes. Akali gulped, feeling this depressing gloom at the back of her mind.

Will this be the time when her actions strike her back?

Was she going to be told that it's too late and the possibility of them being an actual couple will be nothing but a dream?

Evelynn's lips shakily parted, probably to utter her rejection. All the wait and the nerves it unsettled within Akali, it all became completely restless. The pressure was too much for Akali and she felt like the second she hears the inevitable, she was going to scream.

And so, she did the first thing she could think of in stopping Evelynn.

Their hearts threatened to stop, while Evelynn's eyes widened in shock, completely taken aback. Both of the women were tense and frozen, especially when Akali abruptly grabbed Evelynn and crashed her lips on hers.

Yes, Akali went with a panicked version of _'shut up and kiss me'_.

And when she pulled back, she found Evelynn staring at her with wide amber eyes that's filled with nothing but utter shock.

The two of them looked at one another with their own forms of bewildered expressions. Even Akali, who was the one who had dove in for the kiss, was speechless with what she had done.

"What..." Akali spoke quietly, voice faltering before she said anything else. She couldn't find the words to say in return to what had happened, and due to such, they were left practically gawking at one another with disbelief mixed with unfiltered surprise. "What the hell did I just do...?"

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** _Click! Slam!_ **

Akali blinked at the door in front of her, the woman she had just kissed now gone from her line of vision. When she came to her senses and realized what just happened, she nearly screamed in frustration and excitement.

Frustration because she had let Evelynn leave without getting an answer, and excitement because of _obvious_ reasons.

_'I fucking kissed her!'_

Even though everything seemed to be finally going right, Akali felt like she just made everything more complicated. But now, the question remains...

Was Evelynn going to give her a second chance?

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Is this finally the time that Akali and Evelynn get together? Will Evelynn give Akali the second chance she's asking? Tune in next time in "God is a Woman!" :D
> 
> Just to point out something, I read Faey's story and her connection to Akali, Mayym and the Kinkou, which inspired me to not only include her in this story but to also reference a few issues from her League story. In short, Faey and Mayym will soon be entering this story in the future chapter! ^^
> 
> Anywho, if you readers have any ideas you might want to add for future chapters, don't hesitate to shoot me a message in either Wattpad, Twitter or Tumblr! ^u^
> 
> Once again, special thanks to @RachAsakawa and @rizzyunn for the overflowing Akalynn inspiration their Akalynn cosplays give! I've been basing the little details (and some big ones) of Akali and Evelynn's attitudes from them! Check their cosplays out! They're awesome and absolutely amazing~
> 
> Also, big, big thanks to my duo buddy for giving me so many ideas concerning this chapter and many other stories I'm working on! ^u^
> 
> See you guys in my next update~


	9. Chapter 9

**ACT 9**

The only sound that could be heard were the footsteps caused by the pacing Evelynn was doing around her living room. Even though she had relieved herself of her coat and was only dressed in a simple shirt and a pair of jeans, she still felt too warm for comfort. Even her shoes were haphazardly kicked off to the side due to the feelings she was experiencing.

The tips of her fingers touched her lips, her heartbeats filling her sense of hearing as she continued to walk back and forth around the common area of her apartment.

What just transpired between them, the talk, the confessions, the kiss. Most _definitely_ the kiss.

Evelynn fell onto her couch, placing a hand on her chest to feel her pounding heart still recovering from the abrupt kiss she received from the panicked illustrator.

Although Akali did seem like she regretted it after with the murmured question, the emotion in her eyes didn't lie. Evelynn saw it. Her creator was happy that she did that, but the woman herself was just surprised from the very act she did.

The feeling of wanting to squeal in excitement and keep her mouth shut due to all the nerves in her body conflicted with one another within her.

'_This is too good to be true...'_ Evelynn thought as she stared at the ceiling in a daze. "Is it really though?"

Evelynn felt like her question echoed in the silent apartment, despite the fact that she merely whispered it. She wanted to believe this was _the_ turning point she's been waiting for in her life, but the fear of getting hurt again haunted her.

No matter how little though, she knew she should just be thankful of what was given to her. In this case, Akali was actually the one that took the first step. Not only did her creator showed and made so much effort just to capture her time and attention, but it was Akali herself that pulled her in for an embrace.

An embrace she never thought she'd ever get from her.

Allowing a small smile to curve on her lips, Evelynn hugged herself as she recalled the feeling of Akali holding her. It was probably the best thing that has ever happened to her. Unlike the unforeseen kiss, Akali's embrace was much warmer and more heartfelt. It eased her heart out of its agony.

Will this be the time Akali finally fixes her broken heart?

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.....

The crunching of paper echoed in the living room of Akali's apartment as she threw another crumpled sheet aside, starting on her sixth attempt in writing a letter fit to be slipped in between the bouquet of flowers Evelynn ended up dropping.

"Dear Evelynn, I'm so sorry... I was an... idiot. I shouldn't have... kissed you. I panicked. I didn't...-" Akali groaned, tore the paper from her spiral notebook, crumpled it like the others and discarded it. "Come on, Akali. You can do better than that. Don't make it look like you didn't _like_ the kiss."

Akali started writing another letter once she finished scolding herself, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "Dearest Evelynn...-"

The letter hadn't even officially started and she was already tearing the paper away from her notebook, chucking it aside.

"Who the hell uses _'dearest'_ these days?"

Tapping one end of her pen against her temple, Akali tried her hardest to compose at least something decent in her head to put on paper. Unfortunately, every time she spared a glance at the tulips on the coffee table in front of her, all she could think about was the meaning behind them.

And just like that, Akali perked up. It might not be what anyone would expect, but she decided to go with the idea that popped in her mind.

Her pen practically flew across the paper and in less than a minute, she finished writing what she thought about in the spur of the moment. Tearing the paper away, Akali folded it as neatly as she could before slipping it in the center of the bouquet.

Taking a deep breath, Akali left her apartment and knocked on Evelynn's door with the tulips in hand. Instead of waiting for the goddess to answer though, Akali left the flowers at the woman's doorstep before hastily retreating back in her unit.

Akali practically stuck to her door like a starfish as she checked through her peephole to see if Evelynn would open the door without her being present.

It took a couple of seconds, but the door _did_ open. Akali watched as Evelynn briefly looked around before picking up the bouquet. The artist nearly jumped when Evelynn gazed towards her door, looking as if she knew she was there observing.

_'Does she know I'm watching? Kami, I'm such an awkward creep.'_ Akali thought, pulling back and giving herself a facepalm once Evelynn returned in her apartment. _'How long have I sunken?'_

For a moment, Akali thought about missing work again tomorrow for the sake of spending some time with Evelynn. That is, if the woman would even have her company.

The idea was tossed out of the figurative window though. Evelynn probably had work tomorrow like her, and there was also a team meeting tomorrow, so Akali couldn't miss it out.

Akali huffed. Tomorrow after work, she'll begin the process of making everything up to the woman she had wounded. She had to wait for Evelynn's answer though. Everything she could ever think of would be in vain if she doesn't get the second chance she's asking for.

Clasping her hands together, she gazed up to her ceiling as she thought, _'Kami, please, help me.'_

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Early in the morning, yet people were already bustling in the streets and making their way to their work. Unlike yesterday, the weather was much brighter and less depressing. The sky was clear and the sun was shyly peeking through the fluffy white clouds floating around.

Riding the bus to work wasn't interesting, nor eventful, but Evelynn had an idle smile on her face as she read the letter she got from Akali the previous night. The bouquet it was previously with was now in her apartment, sitting in a glass pitcher that served as its temporary vase.

_The tulips mean forgiveness and a fresh start. I know it might not be what I deserve, but I'm still hoping for a second chance._

_Would you let me make it up to you, Evelynn? I promise I will, if you'll let me._

By the time the bus came to her stop and Evelynn stepped out of the transport, she already had the short letter tucked back inside one of the pockets of her coat. She made her way to another one of the places she had applied to for a part-time job. It's a restaurant she's been working at for the past few months.

She smiled at the owner in greeting, who turned to face her and greet her back once he walked into the establishment itself.

"You look awfully happy." The man, Olaf, said once the siren stepped through the door and acknowledged him with a smile. "Woke up on the good side of the bed, I see."

Evelynn chuckled. "I guess you could say that."

"Say, why don't you help me bring down the chairs from the tables while we talk, hmm?"

"I'd be happy to." As Evelynn started shrugging her coat off, she asked, "Where's Atreus and Leona?"

"Atreus dropped by at Morgana's shop to get us some treats, while Leona went to do some grocery shopping for us three. She doesn't like it when me and Atreus order take-out during weekends."

Olaf Ragnor may be the owner of the successful restaurant, _'Lokfar'_, but he knew he wouldn't have made it this far if it weren't for the Eternal that he had encountered.

Unlike most people that were fortunate to be chosen by the Eternals, Olaf was given two creations, Atreus Pantheon and Leona Dawnrise. He himself had named them after some of the greatest names in the history of the food industry in Runeterra.

"Ahh, makes sense."

"By the way, I thought you'd be down at that café you work in for your shift."

"I quit."

"You did? Why?"

Evelynn shrugged, lifting a chair off from one of the tables. "My new shift was going to conflict with the ones I have here."

"Is this the part where I say I'm flattered?" Olaf jested with a small grin.

"Oh, trust me. You should be _very_ flattered."

The two of them laughed for a moment, shaking their heads before they resumed in setting up, tables audibly skidding against the floor as the bearded man moved them.

"In other news though, how's life treating you?" Olaf asked, pushing one of the tables to its rightful place. "This is the first time I've seen you looking so... bright."

"Bright? Is that right?"

Olaf chuckled heartily. "I don't really know how to describe that little twinkle in your eyes right now."

"Like you said, maybe I just woke up on the good side of the bed."

"Hmm, maybe."

.....

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.....

Meanwhile with Akali, the illustrator was rushing out of the bus she had ridden to work as if the transport was in flames, tightly grasping the strap of her bag as she hurriedly sprinted towards the direction of her workplace.

When Akali woke up, she wasn't exactly given the chance to even enjoy the start of her day, especially when she checked her phone. Apparently, Shauna had moved the start of their meeting to this early morning based from the text messages she received from Kayn and Ekko.

Once she arrived at their floor and loudly stumbled into the meeting room, she found her friends and other co-workers already seated around the long table.

Judging from the sight of their bags also present with them, they all seemed to have just arrived themselves. The difference between them and Akali though was the fact that they weren't late and they weren't huffing and puffing as if they had just finished a marathon.

"Nice of you to join us, Miss Tethi." Shauna said, gesturing at the chair beside Senna afterwards. "Take a seat."

Akali nodded and scurried towards her place, murmuring an apology their team leader brushed off. She plopped down on her place with a quiet sigh, feeling someone tap at her shoulder a few seconds after she settled.

Senna had her eyes focused on Shauna, but her right hand had withdrawn a small pack of tissue from her bag, which she slid across the table and wordlessly offered to Akali.

"Thanks." Akali slightly perked up when Senna turned and gave her a little smile before returning her attention to the meeting.

Fortunately for Akali, Shauna didn't further comment on her tardiness and chose to continue on with whatever it was she was saying. The meeting eventually ended after two hours of discussing their plans for each of their proposed characters, the backstories behind them and the possibilities on how they'll be able to connect them to one another.

The only ones that were asked to stay after the meeting were Yasuo and Senna, which allowed the rest to take their leave and proceed to do their day's work.

Akali had literally just reached her workstation when Ekko and Qiyana came and started asking why she didn't come to work the other day and why Shauna seemed to be totally _unaffected_ with it.

"Y'know, you're like, suuuper lucky." Ekko said, leaning against the small file cabinet at the side. "I think Vayne likes you."

Akali quirked an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"She covered for you when Mr. Reveck came and asked you from her." Qiyana said with a little gesture before resting her elbow on Ekko's shoulder. "Ekko here is still not over that, cuz he got scolded when he made a tiny error in his 3D model."

"What does that have to do with my absence?"

"Ekko thinks Vayne's playing favorites." Kayn abruptly cut in as he walked up to them, phone in hand and showing a young female with bright red orange hair. The latter waved at them once Kayn pointed the front camera of his phone to his friends. "Not to change the subject or anything, but everyone, this is Zoe."

"Hey, Zoe."

"Yo, Zoe!"

"Hi there, Zoe."

The mentioned girl giggled and waved back at them again. "Hey, guys. You must be Kayn's friends. Ekko, Qiyana and I'm guessing... Akali?"

While Ekko and Qiyana nodded, Akali was struck with realization. When she looked towards Kayn, she found him nodding at her, which was enough to confirm that she had indeed realized right.

"It's really nice to finally meet the one and only Zoe Kayn told me about."

Zoe giggled. "It's also nice to meet all of you. _Edgy_ here told me a whole lot about all of you."

"Edgy?" Ekko and Qiyana quipped in unison, which was immediately followed by Kayn's groan.

Kayn shook his head and lowered his phone, intending to make a hasty retreat after his nickname was so shamelessly exposed. Unfortunately for him, Ekko and Qiyana found their new target and decided to tail after him, completely forgetting about their queries about Akali's absence.

Akali let out a breath, relieved that the duo had their attention redirected to someone else instead of her. This gave her the opportunity to think about what Qiyana had said about their team leader covering up for her from one of the board members.

Once again, it didn't make sense. Their boss, who she's supposed to be competing against for Evelynn's heart, was helping her? Was there some ulterior motive behind this? There must be.

Letting this distract her was a big no-no, though. She needed to work and try to make up for her unexpected leave from work. For now, she'll just have to make a mental note to try and confront their superior about it without appearing rude or in any way offensive.

Taking out the papers, pencils, pens and every other equipment she needed for her plans for today's work, Akali eased herself in a steady work pace without a hitch.

By the time Ekko and Qiyana finished grilling Kayn for information about who Zoe is to him, Shauna had already exited the meeting room and was heading to her much bigger workstation.

Akali was too busy to notice though. She was busy sketching various sample expressions for her character, intending on presenting it to their team leader once she finished.

Even when a couple of hours passed, she was too preoccupied with her work to notice Shauna, who was passing by her workstation with some paperwork she had recently printed out. The raven-haired woman merely raised an eyebrow at Akali's productive self before completely continuing back to her own space.

But of course, Akali immediately snapped out of her little focused state when a hand abruptly landed on top of her head and gave her a light pat.

"Hey." Senna greeted her with a small smile, placing a cup of freshly brewed coffee and a single donut on the free space at her desk. "Yas bought some donuts. I figured I could steal one for you since you seem to be working hard here."

Akali smiled gratefully at the woman. "Thanks, Senna. I really appreciate it."

Senna merely shrugged, settling on the vacant swivel chair behind Akali. She waited until the said artist had taken the donut and coffee before turning around on her own chair and facing her. Once their gazes met, she couldn't help but laugh at how Akali gave the helpless donut a huge bite.

"You have an open mind, don't you, Akali?"

Although the inquiry was innocent yet somewhat sudden, Akali just tilted her head in mild confusion. "I... guess? Why?"

"Well, since you and I rarely have time to chat during breaks, I thought this might be the perfect time to discuss something with you." Senna glanced to the direction where the pantry can be found. "Since the others are too busy raiding the donuts Yas bought, we have as much privacy as we can get here in the office."

"Okay...?" Akali gave a little laugh. "You're acting a little weird, Senna. Is there something important you want to talk about?"

"I want to help you understand, Akali." Senna shifted on her seat, eyeing Akali with a light gaze. "Lucian told me about your... situation with your creation."

If she wasn't able to stop herself from being completely taken aback by the unforeseen statement, Akali probably would have dropped the half-eaten donut on the floor and ended up spilling her coffee all over herself.

Eyes wide and looking absolutely surprised, Akali shockingly still managed to find her voice and end up asking, "You... know about the Eternals?"

With a sincere smile, Senna nodded her head and said, "I do. In fact, you and I both met the same one."

"You mean...-"

"Yes, I met Zilean." Senna said with a knowing gleam. "He asked you to draw on a book, didn't he?"

Momentarily speechless, Akali could only nod back.

"He did the same with me." Senna said, chuckling. "It was a little weird at first and I admit, Lucian's arrival the following day was _really_ unexpected, but everything turned out okay in the end."

"This is really weird." Akali murmured under her breath. She placed the donut and coffee back on the desk, taking a piece of tissue from the little box beside it and wiping her fingers. "So, in some supposedly logical way, you and I are the same?"

Senna nodded. "We're both creators, yes."

"Did you know I was a creator?"

"Not until Lucian told me."

"Is there a possibility that all creators are also connected to one another?"

Chuckling again, Senna nodded. "Yes, actually. Do you know how some actually think good people attract good karma?"

Akali nodded. "Yeah, what about it?"

"It's just like that. The Eternals don't just choose randomly. They pick those who deserve the chance to get something from them. The creators are the good people and the good karma is the gift of the Eternals."

"Oh..."

"Lucian actually told me about how every single creation knows one another and that they're all connected, regardless of which Eternal gave them life."

"So you're saying Zilean choosing me to make my dreams come true was already inevitable?"

"In a way, I guess you could say that." Senna lightly shrugged as she briefly gestured to her sides. "This is fate we're talking about, Akali. No one really knows what happens. It just does."

"Are you the only _'creator'_ I'm somehow connected to?"

Again, Senna shrugged. "I'm honestly not sure. If I'm willing to bet though, I'm sure that more than one of the people you've met is either a creation or a creator like you."

Rather owlishly, Akali blinked back at Senna. "You serious?"

"Lucian told me creators have this passive trait in attracting other creations. It makes it easier to befriend them. Of course not all creations know other creators. Like I said, it's just their aura that attracts them."

"Can other creations fall in love with other creators?" Although it was a question she was more than a little afraid of being answered, Akali was curious enough to ask it.

"From what my husband said, yes." Senna replied with a nod. "A creation can also fall in love with a _regular_ person. It usually depends on their relationship with their creator."

"Can you give some examples?" Akali asked, moving her chair closer to her colleague.

Senna smiled in mild amusement, feeling like she was looking at a kid eager for a bedtime story rather than a young adult. "You're really curious about this whole thing, aren't you?"

Akali sighed, slumping slightly on her swivel chair. "You have Lucian explaining all these stuff to you, and my creation... Well, it's a long story. She hasn't told me much about this."

"Maybe you haven't given her a chance to."

"It's complicated, okay? I couldn't find the right approach with her."

"Alright, fine, fine. I'll give you a few examples."

"Thanks, really."

"First of all, the creators don't only get _one_ creation. The prime example here is Olaf Ragnor. He's the owner of the restaurant, _'Lokfar'_. You know that place, right?"

"Yeah."

"He was gifted _two_ creations, and if I remember correctly, their names were Atreus and Leona."

"Two creations?" Akali reacted with wide eyes.

"Mm-hm. Their connection with Olaf is mainly friendship and more familial, which gives them a chance to find love with someone else. Last I heard, Atreus is in a relationship with another creator, Morgana. So, I guess that answers your question. A creation can indeed fall in love with another creator."

"What about creations falling in love with one another? That possible, too?"

"Hmm... I think?" Senna tapped her chin, trying to recall the names and relationships Lucian had mentioned to her. "There _are_ two creations that fell in love, but I can't really remember their names. What I _can_ remember though, their fathers are connected to one another. Through work, if I recall correctly."

Akali somewhat shrunk in her seat. "So you're telling me that if you're a creator that's supposed to be in a relationship with your own creation, the people that can possibly steal them from you is _still_ everyone? It's not limited or anything."

"Well, if you and your creation love one another, then why worry? Trust your creation, and they'll trust you back. Treat them right, and they'll return the favor. It's like every other normal relationship out there. Give and take, as it should be."

A loud groan left Akali, making Senna stare at her with amusement yet again. "Right... So... Good people are the chosen ones, huh?"

"Do you think the Eternals made a mistake with you? Is that why you look so close into melting like a puddle of guilt on that chair of yours?" Senna asked, her amusement lacing her tone.

"I hurt my creation." Akali admitted, slapping both of her hands on her face and somewhat muffling herself. "I made her cry and broke her heart. I tried giving her flowers, and yeah, sure, she took the second one, and I kissed her, and now, I don't know how what's going to happen next."

Senna stared at Akali, blinking as she processed what the latter had just said. She lightly shook her head and reached forward, giving the younger woman an encouraging pat on the knee.

"I guess you weren't exaggerating when you said that it's complicated." Senna said, smiling sympathetically. "If you really want to fix things, you should at least know that you should give your creation more credit. They're very patient and absolutely loyal to their creator, believe me."

"Is that based from experience?" Akali asked on a quiet murmur, peeking through her fingers to look at Senna.

"It is. When Lucian came and literally said that he was there to save me from my marriage with Thresh, I thought he was some lunatic stalker." Senna confessed with a little snicker to herself. "It took him almost two months just to convince me that he wasn't some weird creep that was stalking me. It all takes time, Akali. There has to be effort on both sides, not just one."

Despite still slumping on her seat, Akali's posture was still much better than it was. She sighed and offered a small and sincere smile. "I know it looks like you just stressed me out with this talk, but thanks. I'm really grateful that you told me all those stuff about the whole relationship thing between creators and creations."

Senna winked and gave Akali another pat on the knee before standing up and excusing herself, leaving only after reminding Akali to eat the remains of her donut and drink her coffee before their break ends.

A few minutes later and Akali had just finished doing what was mentioned when she spotted Ekko and Qiyana walking into sight with Kayn, talking about how Yasuo was pissed at Ekko for eating more than one donut.

With her unexpected conversation with Senna fleeting in her mind, she turned back to her work and found herself momentarily staring back at her drawing board.

If what Senna had said was true, then Evelynn was possibly attracted to Shauna because she herself was also a creator. Either that, or she's just a person that knows how to capture the siren's interest.

Shaking her head, Akali straightened up and resumed her work. She shouldn't let this bother her now. In fact, she should focus more on what she intends to do later to try and get Evelynn to open her door for her.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Akali clocked out of work much later than usual due to the work load that came their way a few hours after their lunch break. It was mostly her, Kayn, Ekko and Qiyana who were assigned to do the given tasks, but Senna and Yasuo were nice enough to lend them some assistance.

What did surprise her was the fact that Shauna herself took some of the work off their backs, including Akali's. Their team leader's help allowed them to finish everything that was left for them to do.

The six of them rode one of the elevators down the lobby, and while Ekko and Qiyana were poking fun at one another and Yasuo was talking to Kayn about his character design, Senna was left to place a hand on Akali's shoulder and shake her a little.

"You look really nervous." Senna said with a little smile. "You should try to relaxing yourself."

"I can't." Akali muttered, glancing over her shoulder to make sure the other four were being too loud with their own talks. "And you know why."

"I'm sure you and your creation will get past whatever it is you two are going through right now."

"I sure hope we do."

** _Ding!_ **

With her and Senna being the ones in the very front, the two of them were the first to step out of the elevator, leaving the four to trail after they continued to converse with one another.

"There's Lucian." Senna said, waving a hand in the air and smiling at the mentioned man.

When Akali turned to face the direction of the waiting area furnished with black and grey couches, she expected to merely see her co-worker's husband walking towards them with his usual small smile as a greeting. Instead though, her eyes went wide at the sight that greeted her.

Akali didn't know if she should be shocked or jealous.

Lucian was walking towards them, yes, but he also had his arm slung over the shoulders of none other than Evelynn herself. Both of them seemed to be sharing a little laugh between them, their gazes turning to focus on Akali and her group once Senna called her husband's name.

For a second, Akali wondered how Senna was able to brush off the very sight of her husband being all close with a gorgeous woman like Evelynn. But then, she remembered their conversation.

Senna _trusts_ Lucian.

They love one another and that's why there were no room for any doubts.

Trust was surely something that's just going one way between her and Evelynn. This thought prompted Akali to make a mental note to change it soon.

Lucian gave Evelynn a few pats on the back before he removed his arm from her and finally walked up to Senna, giving her a warm hug. "Hey there."

"Hey yourself." Senna lightheartedly shot back, chuckling as she returned the embrace. Once they pulled back, Lucian instantly helped Senna with her things, slinging the strap of her own bag on his shoulder. She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek, saying, "Thanks, honey."

Lucian offered a small grin, planting a kiss on Senna's temple before nodding at Akali and the others. When they finished giving their own greeting to him, he cleared his throat and shifted from his place, gesturing at the woman he was just conversing with before their arrival.

"Everyone, this is my good friend, Evelynn." Lucian then gestured back to Senna. "Evelynn, this is Senna. The one I told you about earlier."

Evelynn glanced at Akali for a second before she directed her focus to Senna, smiling as she shook hands with the woman. "It's nice to finally meet the one Lucian's been talking about for the past thirty minutes."

Lucian blushed brightly at her line, while Senna snickered before she said, "I like you already, Evelynn. I feel like you and I are going to get along just fine."

Clearing his throat, Lucian decided to proceed in introducing the others. Evelynn smiled and exchanged formalities with each and every one of them, and out of the four, only Kayn was the one who chose to step forward and stick a hand for a handshake.

"Shieda Kayn."

With a seemingly unaffected and perfectly cool smile, Evelynn reached forward and shook his hand. "Evelynn. I've honestly heard so much about you, Kayn."

Since Ekko, Qiyana and Yasuo were distracted by whatever it was Senna was saying to fluster Lucian, it left Akali and Kayn to focus on Evelynn.

When the siren finished her response, Akali and Kayn immediately exchanged looks, guilt crossing their faces as they both recalled the incident at the hallway outside their apartment.

Akali was just about to say something when Kayn gave her an apologetic look before he shockingly placed a hand on Evelynn's arm, stepped close and asked in a quiet murmur, "Hey, uh, can you and I talk for second?"

"What?" Akali reacted, eyes wide when she heard what her co-worker asked. "Wait a sec...-"

"Sure." Evelynn made it certain that everyone in their group heard her excuse Kayn and herself before they walked to the side enough for them to be out of earshot from the others. As they distanced themselves though, Akali was nudged by Ekko and Qiyana on either side, both of them looking on to where Evelynn and Kayn were.

"Damn, Kayn moves fast." Ekko commented in awe, shaking his head and grinning.

"Well, well, well..." Qiyana started with an amused look. "And here I thought he was getting back together with his ex."

"He is." Yasuo abruptly said, standing just behind Akali. "He's probably just asking her about something. Don't assume so fast."

"What the heck are you guys murmuring about here?" Senna asked in a loud whispery manner, giving both Ekko and Qiyana a poke on the side and causing the pair to jump in reaction.

Meanwhile, with Evelynn and Kayn...

"Alright, I don't really know how to start, but..." Kayn scratched the back of his head as he appeared rather sheepish. "I know this is probably out of the blue, but I just want to tell you that nothing happened with me and Akali that night."

"What're you talking about?"

"Y'know, that night." Kayn said with a flimsy gesture at the side. "We didn't kiss or anything."

"I know. She told me."

"Then let me tell you that she's not lying." Kayn immediately said. "When she and I went out for a supposedly late Valentine's date, I want you to know that her mind wasn't even there in the first place."

"What do you mean?"

"She was too busy thinking of you. Honestly, she's been talking about nothing else but _you_ for the past few days. She's really worried and she wants to patch things up with you real badly."

"Did she put you up to this?" Evelynn asked, sounding curious rather than skeptical.

Kayn shook his head. "I'm doing this all on my own. I think it's pretty obvious, especially if you look at Akali now."

As soon as he said that, both of them turned to the group, only to spot Akali watching them with an evidently nervous expression. It was clear that she wasn't expecting Kayn to practically drag Evelynn away for an unexpected one-on-one talk.

"I don't know if I did or not, but I'm really sorry for hurting you that night." Kayn apologized with a sincere expression. "I know the feeling of seeing someone you love pine over someone else, and it... It really sucks. I'm sorry if I made you feel the same way."

Evelynn shook her head. "It's not your fault. You can't exactly control how fate works. But if you really see it as you being at fault, then think of yourself being in the wrong place in the wrong time. I certainly feel like that."

"No, don't be." Kayn contradicted her last statement. "Akali really cares about you. She's probably having trouble in showing it, but I can see it. She wants to make everything okay with you two, but I guess she just doesn't know how."

"With Akali," Evelynn returned her gaze to the said woman, meeting the artist's azure orbs gleaming with anxiety. "I'll always be willing to meet her halfway."

Kayn finally showed a smile, catching sight of the hopeful shine in the woman's amber eyes. He soon cleared his throat and started leading Evelynn back to the others. "Let's get back to them before they start thinking I'm flirting with you."

"Well, I _am_ quite the charmer." Evelynn murmured as they walked back to the group. "I wouldn't blame you if that was indeed your first intention."

Chuckling, Kayn said, "I don't think I want Akali stabbing me with a pencil when I'm not looking, so no thanks."

"Suit yourself."

When they returned to the others, they were just in time to hear Ekko trying to hitch a ride with Yasuo, while Senna was already offering to Qiyana how she and Kayn could go with her and Lucian since they were apparently going to pass their apartments on their way to theirs.

"What about you, Akali?" Qiyana asked once Kayn and Evelynn rejoined them. "You coming with us or nah?"

"Oh, uhh..." Akali glanced at her colleagues for a moment before trying to spare a look at Evelynn's direction, only for the said beauty to drape a hand on her shoulder and wordlessly silence her.

"Actually," Evelynn started with one of her dazzling smiles playing on her lips, while her eyes dimly glowed. "she and I will be taking the bus together. I think it'll be okay if all of you go right ahead."

Everyone, excluding Lucian and Akali, was immediately under the grasp of Evelynn's charming ability, leaving them no room in disagreeing with the given suggestion.

Yasuo and Ekko were the first to go, who were then followed by Qiyana and Kayn. Senna left as soon as Lucian reassured her that he'll trail after them.

"Really, Evelynn?" Lucian said with a lighthearted look. "You had to use that on my wife?"

Evelynn shrugged innocently, removing the hand she had on Akali as her eyes lost its glow. "At least I didn't flirt with her."

"Heh, sure." Lucian shook his head as he spun around to follow his wife. "Take care, you two."

Even though she was just watching Lucian and the group, who were already at the entrance of the building, walk away from them, Akali felt like she was going to explode with how tense she was.

She may not have been looking directly at Evelynn, which was the reason why she wasn't affected with her ability, but she did see how Evelynn's irises became unusually brighter than normal. It was the same thing she saw when they were at the ice cream parlor.

Akali nearly jumped when Evelynn finally turned to face her, their gazes locking in a heartbeat. Speaking of heartbeats, Akali felt like her very own heart was going to stop with all the nervousness she was feeling, especially with Evelynn standing right there with her.

"We should go, too." Evelynn softly said, offering a small smile as she nodded to the direction where the entrance is. "I still have to cook some dinner later."

Akali nodded, murmuring, "Okay."

The two of them exited the building and went to the nearest bus stop, the silence between them following like a ghost looming over their backs. Between the pair though, Akali was the only one who looked visibly uneasy.

Settled at one of the seats at the very back of the bus, the conversation between them merely started a few minutes after the bus started driving through the city.

"I hope you don't mind that I came to your workplace."

Akali snapped her head to Evelynn, whose eyes were gazing through one of the windows and idly viewing the buildings they passed. "No, it's totally okay."

"I suppose I'm just eager to speak with you."

"You are?"

Evelynn nodded. "Especially after last night."

"Ah, right... Last night." Akali huffed through her nose and decided to just vocalize her thoughts. "Evelynn, last night, I'm...-"

Unfortunately, when Evelynn turned and faced her, Akali's words ended up drying into nothing but silence. The eyes she once again locked gazes with was too full of emotion to just be brushed off so easily. It briefly rendered her speechless.

"I'm sorry for walking out last night." Evelynn apologized. "I was _surprised_ by the kiss. It was sudden and... It just shocked me."

"Was it really that shocking?" Akali murmured quietly, hunching her shoulders a little as she stared at her feet. "I didn't mean to, uh, shock you. It's just that... It was the first thing I could come up with. I was scared."

"Scared? Of what?"

"Of you rejecting me." Akali responded back with a forlorn face. "I honestly deserve it, especially with how much I put you through."

"Do you want me to be honest with you? Right now?"

Akali pushed through her nerves and returned her gaze back to Evelynn, saying, "I guess?"

"That kiss you gave me. It was short and a little awkward, but..." Evelynn hesitantly placed a hand on top of Akali's, eyes darting to her once she continued with, "...it was a dream come true. Especially when you held me before it happened."

"...Y'know what, I guess there's no running from this, so I want to know." Akali took a deep breath before she asked, "Do you really think I deserve a second chance with you?"

Evelynn regarded her with delicate look, one that prompted her heart to flutter inside her. The things a mere look from Evelynn was able to do to her was just unexplainable.

"I think you already know my answer."

"Actually, no, I don't." Akali sighed in exasperation, something she felt more towards herself rather than to Evelynn. "And its kinda pissing me off."

Evelynn raised an eyebrow, tilting her head as she did. "How so?"

"You know _everything_ about me. Everything I could ever want and ask for. But, here I am not knowing what you could possibly ask for. It's irritating because creation or not, you know me more than I know you. It shows how it's always been one-sided all these months ever since you came."

"To be fair, I _am_ a creation. Like what you said, I already know everything about you because of that simple fact." Evelynn nonchalantly shrugged. "'It's an advantage I already have."

"It's still unfair to you. I mean, you also probably get bored of how I tell you stuff you already know."

"Darling, even if you tell me something I already know about yourself for the hundredth time, I'd still listen to you. I love hearing your voice. And the fact that you're sharing it with me is a big thing."

"There you go again. Giving me a way out of trouble even though you don't need to. Why do you do that?" Akali asked, slapping a hand over her face in frustration. "Why do you always make it so easy for me?"

"Maybe because I love you."

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

Did she just hear right?

Unexpected and entirely sudden may the confession be, Akali was left to just stare back at Evelynn with wide eyes yet again. Her heart threatened to either halt or just rapidly beat its way to cardiac arrest.

Akali wanted to shout _"What!?"_ as a response to the outright declaration, but her voice seemed to have played the cowardly card and decided to make itself nonexistent in that very moment.

The artist wasn't sure what was more distracting. It was either the confession, or the tender smile she missed in seeing on Evelynn's lips. Her creation was indeed a sight to adore and be enthralled by.

"I want to give you the second chance you're asking for." Evelynn spoke up when she realized Akali was still in shock with her admission. "It was honestly hard for me for the past couple of months, but this?"

Akali felt her cheeks heat up when Evelynn slowly intertwined their hands together.

"This is what I've been waiting for ever since."

"You're too good to me." Akali managed to whisper, her voice low and almost inaudible.

"I always will be." Evelynn said with smile. "I suggest you get used to it."

"I'm trying to."

"It's always the effort that counts, darling. Don't pressure yourself. I've waited this long, and I have no plans in leaving anytime soon."

The reassurance was so light and not all too serious, but it was enough to ease Akali in a relaxed state. Having Evelynn speak to her like this again, calling her _'darling'_ and flashing the most breathtaking smile at her, Akali never knew she missed these little details until now.

The saying about not knowing what you had until you lost it surely applied to this situation, and Akali knew she was just lucky enough that she hadn't lost Evelynn. If she had, then maybe she wouldn't be holding one of the softest hands she has ever touched in her whole life.

Akali still had so many to say and wanted to discuss with Evelynn, but she didn't want to ruin their moment. Throughout the bus ride back home, she savoured the warmth of Evelynn's hand interlocked with her own.

It was ironic how she went from _not_ wanting Evelynn to come near her to the point of now yearning just to be a _little_ close to her. Akali found it absolutely corny and admittedly flustering, but she eventually realized that it didn't matter. The feeling itself was nice and that's more than good enough for her.

Their little hand-holding came to an end when the bus arrived at their stop, which left them both to get out of the transport and walk the rest of the way to their apartment building.

Both women had their hands stuffed in the pockets of their coats as they walked down the sidewalk alongside one another, Evelynn's gaze idly wandering around the street, while Akali's was focused on the ground.

"Hey," Akali started, feigning a cough when Evelynn redirected her eyes to her. "the landlord told me you had visitors the other day. Friends of yours?"

"The landlord told you or did you ask him?"

Akali zipped her jacket fully closed, hiding half of her face behind its high collar before muttering, "Okay, fine. I asked him."

Evelynn smiled and withheld a chuckle. "Yes, my friends came over to comfort me."

"They all know about how I made you cry, don't they?"

"Zilean told them."

Akali snapped her gaze to Evelynn, eyes wide while her conversation with Senna briefly fleeted across her mind. "Wait, so a bunch of other _creations_ came over?"

Evelynn nodded. "I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but us creations sympathize with one another. We usually go through a lot of issues upon our existence."

"Actually, I... just found out one of my co-workers is like me. Lucian's wife, Senna? I'm sure you already know that she's a creator since you seem to be _real_ close to her husband."

"Is that..." Evelynn tilted her head, smiling as she continued. "...jealousy?"

Akali loudly cleared her throat, inspiring a soft titter from the siren. "What I'm _trying_ to say here is that Senna told me some stuff about creations and creators."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, she said Lucian wanted her to help me with our situation and maybe help me understand all these stuff, too."

"So that's why Lucian told me not to worry too much." Evelynn mentioned with a hum, fingers tapping on her lips for a few times.

"What Senna told me made me realize how much I don't know about you or where you even came from." Akali slouched a bit as she glanced at Evelynn. "I felt really guilty when she told me about the whole _'give and take'_ between a creator and their creation."

"But why?" In Evelynn's eyes, she never really figured that it was Akali's _obligation_ to give back to her. The fact that she hadn't kicked her to curb upon her arrival was enough for her to be thankful.

"You always treated me good. I mean, sure, you were really forward at first, but you always meant well." Akali sighed as she pouted behind the collar of her jacket.

"It's not your obligation to take care of me, Akali. Nor is it to love me back."

Akali peered at Evelynn with those striking azures, rendering the woman speechless for a brief moment. "I've been looking too far. You told me I'm lonely and you're right. When you were there to make sure I wasn't, I just... ignored you. Your efforts, I didn't even _appreciate_ them."

"That's all in the past. You should focus more on the future and what you'll do next."

Hearing that made something click in Akali's mind. They were already a couple of steps way from the front of their apartment building when Akali abruptly jumped forward and blocked Evelynn's path, halting their walk and leaving them both to look at one another.

"You haven't had dinner yet, right?"

"No," Evelynn replied with furrowed eyebrows. "why?"

"How 'bout I cook you something?"

Although Akali looked extremely optimistic with this idea of hers, it almost made Evelynn feel guilty with how she was going to burst her bubble.

"And what do you have in mind?"

Akali opened her mouth to give a response, but then she remembered she hasn't went grocery shopping ever since Evelynn moved out. Meaning, all she had in her apartment were different packs of instant noodles and spicy ramyun. Lips pursing and face reddening in embarrassment, the excitement she was displaying visibly faded when she realized the huge flaw in her plans for dinner.

"...Ramyun?"

The smile on Evelynn's lips threatened to become a grin as she watched the redness spread across Akali's face, making it more evident how she found the entire situation embarrassing.

"How about we have dinner at _my_ place?" Evelynn offered with a delicate smile. "I still have some food in the fridge. I'll be making some shrimp fried rice for tonight."

Akali licked her lips at the thought of tasting another one of Evelynn's delicious meals. "That sounds tasty."

"My place, then?"

"...Yeah."

They entered the building and rode the elevator up to their floor in complete yet comfortable silence. The awkwardness from her little blunder earlier had faded and she acted more giddy rather than tense when she and Evelynn walked into the latter's apartment unit.

Once they relieved themselves of their coat and jacket, the two of them were soon in the kitchen area of the apartment. They both evenly separated the tasks needed in preparation for the food Evelynn intended cooking, especially since Akali wanted to at least make up for the embarrassing offer earlier.

After chopping and mincing some parsley, carrots and other ingredients Evelynn needed, Akali was soon asked to relax in the living room. Even though she still wanted to lend a hand, Evelynn was quite persistent and somehow _'threatened'_ to send her to her apartment if she further insisted.

Now looking like a puppy that was scolded by their owner, Akali once again found herself perched on the sofa while she watched Evelynn prepare their dinner.

It was just like the first time they shared a meal with one another. Instead of ramyun though, they'll be having something more dinner-worthy.

Akali smiled at the sight of Evelynn's hair being tied up in a messy bun, face looking absolutely focused on the rice she was currently frying.

Whatever did she do to have this for herself? To have this woman's eyes be set on her and _only_ her? Akali still found herself wondering why Zilean thought she deserved someone as incredible as Evelynn.

The goddess was already putting their food in two bowls when Akali decided to speak and bring up a particular topic that's been on her mind ever since they separated from her colleagues.

"Hey, Evelynn?"

"Yes?"

"Remember what I said about Senna telling me about you and some of the creation stuff?"

"What about it?" Evelynn asked, placing the pan down and turning away for a moment to retrieve two spoons for them to use.

"Is it okay if we talk about those things first? Before anything else, at least."

Taking the bowls with both of her hands, Evelynn finally made her way to Akali at the living room. She handed her one of the meals before she situated herself right beside her creator.

"Ask me anything. I'd be more than happy to answer everything on your mind right now."

"Okay, uh, how about I start with your powers? Or is it just _power_? I'm not sure."

"My main ability is _Allure_." Evelynn started once Akali thanked her for the food. "Something the Eternals gave me because of how you described me."

"What do you mean?"

Evelynn contemplated on how she'll be able to simplify the whole process, taking a small spoonful of food and chewing thoughtfully while she did such. As for Akali, the illustrator patiently waited for a response, silently savouring the delicious food she was served with.

"To make it a bit easier for you to understand, do you watch those movies with genies involved?"

"Yeah?"

"Whenever someone makes a wish, they have to be _really_ specific, right?"

"Yeah, or else the genie might mess up the wish."

"Exactly." Evelynn said with a nod. "In this case though, it's how the Eternals add their own twist in the creation."

"So, you're saying that when I told Zilean you're super beautiful and that you're going to be like a goddess, he made you one?"

"In some way, he did. A goddess can enchant people with their beauty. Most say that a person's eyes will be the most beautiful thing you'll ever look at in your partner, because it's the only part of them that never ages." Evelynn then gave a little smile as she said, "It's the reason why I can charm people. My beauty, mainly my gaze, _allures_ them."

"Is that what you used earlier? To Senna and the others?" Akali asked, careful not to sound accusatory. She just wanted to know.

Evelynn pursed her lips for second before she nodded. "Yes. It didn't affect Lucian because he's a creation like me, and it didn't affect you either because you weren't directly looking into my eyes when I used it."

"Do other creations have abilities, too?"

"Of course. One of the creators said they wanted someone strong, but they didn't clarify on what they meant with it. The creation ended up having somewhat inhuman strength. It took a while for her to control, honestly."

"Are there anyone else?"

"One of my friends, Rakan, has a similar ability to my _Allure_." Evelynn recalled after chewing the food she had just taken. "He can charm people with his _touch_. Even if it's just a simple poke, his ability will be able to take effect."

"What about you? Do you have any more powers I unconsciously ended up giving you?"

"I suppose this is the right time to tell you how I somehow _developed_ my charming ability."

Akali's eyebrows knitted in confusion, eyeing Evelynn curiously as the woman stopped eating and shifted from her place. She seemed to be preparing to get something off her chest. One that looked like it bothered her and was able to coax a bit of guilt out of herself.

"Like what we talked about, I became a goddess because of you. Now, during the times when you refused to believe who I am and why I exist, I asked the other creations for some advice to keep myself alive. I just didn't want to rely on the sketch you made."

"Wait, you're saying you could've disappeared?" Akali asked with a horrified look.

"Wait, let me finish." Evelynn evenly said, a pleading gleam momentarily flashing in her eyes. "I developed my ability after I charmed other people. I can manipulate their mind and create fake memories for them to _believe_ that I exist."

The word charm itself was enough for Akali to piece two and two together. She slackened visibly right in front of Evelynn, taking a deep breath as she thought about all the time Evelynn came back home so late at night when they used to live together.

Of course the fact that she also managed to save more than enough money to move out so quickly also weighed in on her thoughts.

"Did you ever sleep with one of them?" Akali asked in an oh so quiet voice, eyes casted low and heart beating nervously in her chest.

"...What do you think?"

Akali raised her head and hesitantly refocused her gaze on the goddess, who stared back at her with a soft look in her amber eyes.

Wave after wave of relief washed over her once their eyes found one another once again. Akali reached for Evelynn's bowl and took it, placing both of their food on the nearest flat surface and confusing the other for a moment.

"Akali, what're you...-"

Evelynn stiffened for a short while when Akali suddenly scooted towards her and enveloped her in a warm embrace. It was just like the one they shared out on the hallway. Meaningful, sincere and long-awaited.

"Senna was right." Akali murmured. "About you creations being loyal, even if your creators don't treat you like you should be."

Even though she was surprised by the affectionate gesture, Evelynn had easily reciprocated the hug. "What matters to us is always our creator's feelings. We're here for you. We always will be."

"I want to make everything up to you, Evelynn." Akali said when she finally pulled back, hands taking Evelynn's into her own. "I want us to start over again. As in, from the _very start_."

Both eyebrows shooting up in mild amusement and surprise, Evelynn asked, "Where _do_ we start again?"

"Let me take you out on a date at the ice cream parlor."

"You mean..."

"Yeah, the same place as before." Akali slightly slumped when she recalled the scene she had mainly caused. "When I said I want to start over, I mean it. We'll literally go back to square one, and this time, I want to do it right."

Upon uttering those words, Akali was rewarded with one of the most heart-stopping smiles she had ever seen. Lips curved upward, teeth slightly showing and that cute twinkle in those stunning ambers, Akali knew she was absolutely lucky to even be able to see such sight.

"I'd love that."

Only a few minutes passed with the two of them just looking into one another's eyes, but it surely felt longer. One thing's for sure, Akali had inched forward, one hand having reached up and was delicately cupping Evelynn's cheek.

"Is this too soon?" Akali asked quietly, words barely considered a whisper.

"...I don't want to say." Evelynn murmured, eyes flickering down to Akali's slightly parted lips before darting back to her blue hues.

"You don't have to." Akali leaned in. "I know it is."

A deafening beat of her heart rang in her ears as Evelynn became rigid for a split-second, form relaxing when Akali's lips left her forehead.

With her own heart pounding like an uncontrollable drum, Akali rested her forehead against Evelynn's as she grasped the soft hands of her creation once again. Her eyes drifted low and onto their intertwined hands, while Evelynn's eyes slid close, focus completely fixated on the woman she's been loving faithfully from the very beginning.

"I'll earn the right to kiss you." Akali whispered, feeling Evelynn squeeze her hands in reaction. "I know I can't just do it now. I don't have the right, and it was wrong that I stole one last night from you."

A breathy laugh left Evelynn, lips shaping into a small smile as she listened closely.

"I told Zilean that if you came alive, then it'd be the best thing that has ever happened to me..." Akali gave half a laugh of her own as she squeezed Evelynn's hands and said, "_You're_ the best thing that's ever happened to me, Evelynn."

Akali swallowed the lump that formed in her throat, stiffening for a short while when she felt something wet land on one of her forehands. She pulled back and audited Evelynn, whose eyes were half-open and face painted with clear trails of the tears she was shedding in that intimate moment.

Pulling one of her hands away and covering half of her face, Evelynn took in an audible breath before she spoke in a trembling voice filled with emotion enough to for a bittersweet symphony to reach Akali's heart.

"You don't know how much it means to me to know that." Evelynn said, taking in another breath before she continued with, "To _hear_ you say that."

"I should've told you sooner. I'm sorry."

Shaking her head, Evelynn buried her face in Akali's shoulder, tears dampening the other's shirt. Akali didn't mind it. She held Evelynn as closely as she could as she felt her heart ache with how much she had hurt the woman crying in her arms.

It was at that very moment did Akali fully accept Evelynn.

It was something she should've done from the very beginning.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Slowly but surely, we are getting to the happy Akalynn moments we've all been waiting for! Just a little more and we're there! ^o^/
> 
> On another note, I actually had fun researching about the flowers and the meaning behinds them. For me, it's always the little days that gives the story a touch of reality. ^^
> 
> If any of you have anything you might want to see Akali do to make things up to Evelynn, don't hesitate to hit me up or leave your comments here. I'll try to see if your suggestions will be fitting for the future chapters~
> 
> This part wasn't supposed to be done and released so soon, but a certain someone *coughmyduobuddycough* wanted me to finish it early. That, and he helped me with a couple of scenes here, so props to him! :D
> 
> Oh, and @RachAsakawa and @rizzyunn were once again feeding me and many other Akalynn shippers some of their cosplay, so yeah. Finishing this one was inevitable. xD
> 
> If any of you just want to talk or play League with me, I'm mostly active on Twitter, so just shoot me a message or something and I'll respond as soon as I can! :D
> 
> As always, hope to see you all in my next update! ^^


	10. Chapter 10

**ACT 10**

It's finally Saturday and it was _the_ day Akali takes Evelynn out on their very first date. Of course a trip to the ice cream parlor wasn't the only thing they plan on doing for today.

The day after their heart-to-heart moment in Evelynn's apartment, Akali had, as discreetly as she could, asked the siren if she was interested in amusement parks. Once a nod and a short but direct reply was given, Akali immediately ordered some tickets online for their trip to the well-known _'Wonders of Valoran'_ amusement park.

Not only that, but she also called for a reservation to the same fancy restaurant she had once called last time for her supposed dinner out with the goddess.

Akali was truly showing that she was serious about starting from the beginning. She didn't want to make another mistake or to drive Evelynn away like she used to. No, she was doing the opposite of that now.

Looking at herself through the mirror, Akali tried tying her hair in different styles of ponytails, only to pout each time she tried something different from her usual. Figuring her date wouldn't mind, Akali settled with bringing her hair up and tying it back to its high ponytail.

She sprinkled a bit of her cologne to herself, making sure to not apply too much or else it might overwhelm Evelynn's sense of smell. That would be a big negative and would surely make things awkward between them.

One last final look at her outfit was the only thing she could manage before she left her apartment to knock on the door of her creation. Donning a pair of black stretchy bermuda shorts, sneakers and a simple white shirt with _'GAME OVER' _printed in front, this was what she managed to assemble for her date.

Although they have plans for having their evening meal later on at some high-end restaurant, Akali figured she and Evelynn could just dress for comfort and a little style rather than semi-formal attires. After all, she also intends to bring the goddess for a wall-climbing experience at the amusement park.

Now, before we go on with the date though, let's have a little recap.

A few days ago, a lot of things happened.

She discovered one of her colleagues is a creator like her, said colleague's husband _(Lucian)_ is a creation, made up and finally cleared the air between her and Evelynn and of course last and definitely not the least, she and the goddess had another emotional moment.

It was shocking for her to go through all that and suddenly find herself knocking at a wooden panel and waiting for the woman she asked out in a date to answer.

Time will indeed tell the unknown.

Honestly, with everything that transpired, Akali's just thankful she was given another chance.

_ **Click!** _

"Hey...-" Akali's greeting smile faded into a stunned look as she came face to face with her magenta-haired neighbour.

Some might be thinking Akali's reaction to Evelynn's outfit is an exaggeration, but how can they blame her? Donning a pair of light blue stretch jeans, two-inch heels with denim straps and a dark purple virgin killer sweater, the woman before her was truly a human GODDESS.

Akali's eyes were wide and ended up stumbling with her words, blatantly failing in saying anything reasonable. Due to her distracted self, she failed noticing the fact that Evelynn had yet to slip the matching denim jacket she has hanging over her right arm.

"You... I... Uh... Ah... Wait..." Akali shook her head and shifted her footing, laughing in embarrassment. "I don't mean to sound like a prude or an overprotective date, but are you really going out wearing that?"

Evelynn, who was just about to greet her, stared back in a rather owlish manner for a moment before she realized what Akali was referring to. "Oh, you mean my sweater?"

Akali nodded. "Last I checked, a sweater covers you. Not put your back on display."

That inspired a chuckle from the other woman. "Don't worry, I'm wearing something underneath this."

As soon as Evelynn said this, she joined Akali out on the hallway before closing the door and turning around to show the backless part of her top.

The self-control Akali thought she had became nonexistent the moment she saw the siren's back, which was completely exposed by the sweater that would surely be the death of her. That, and the straps of the white low-back bra she was wearing added quite a nice touch of sexiness to the already mesmerizing sight.

The sweater certainly lived up to its name, for Akali felt so close in being murdered right then and there.

"You look, _ahem_. You look great. Beautiful, really." Akali said with a light sheepish smile. "You probably know that already though."

Evelynn smiled, bumping her shoulder against Akali. "It's different coming from you."

"Yeah? Well, I mean it."

The two of them made their way down to the lobby, and not to come off as a bit of a pervert, but Akali silently admits that she did spy another peek at Evelynn's back before the woman slipped her jacket on.

"Where to?" Evelynn asked as they exited the apartment building.

Akali led them to the direction where the main road can be found, turning to her date as she said, "It's going to be a secret. We'll be taking a cab there, 'cause no way am I going to let you ride a bus with that outfit during rush hour."

Evelynn chuckled. "Are you afraid of someone sneaking a little touch?"

"Hey, you can't trust people nowadays. Man or woman, we wouldn't really know." Akali muttered, trying to wave it off.

It was surprising, but they easily hailed a cab just a few short minutes after they reached the main road. Their idle conversation continued after Akali had leaned over to the front seat from her place at the back and whispered their destination to the driver. After receiving a nod and gruff reply of, _"Got it."_, she slid the small window separating the front from the back and settled down at Evelynn's left, flashing a small grin.

"You really are determined in keeping this a surprise, aren't you?"

Akali nodded affirmatively before asking, "Your jeans are stretchable, right?"

Quirking an eyebrow at the abrupt query, Evelynn nodded. "They are. I wasn't exactly sure about your plans, but I do have a hunch."

"Don't make guesses. I'm not good with hiding my reactions, so I'll probably make a face if you guess right."

That inspired a laugh from Evelynn. "You _are_ very expressive, so I don't doubt it."

"You... don't have a problem with heights, right?" Akali asked, sounding a bit nervous as she spoke. Maybe she didn't think this through. She bought tickets to a freaking amusement park without even making sure if her date likes things that made their adrenaline pump like there's no tomorrow.

Evelynn eyed her with amusement, which showed not only in her eyes, but her smile as well. "What if I said I _am_ afraid of high places?"

Visibly, Akali paled. "Uhh..."

"I'm kidding." Evelynn said after a fleeting moment before breaking out in a round of light, tinkling laughter, which was quick to prompt Akali in releasing a sigh of relief. "Don't worry, I love rollercoasters and ferris wheels."

"You do?"

"Mm-hm. There's something about the image of you screaming in terror that amuses me."

"Har-dee-har-har. Very funny." Akali crossed her arms as she laid back on the car seat. "Okay, clearly, you _know _we're going to an amusement park."

"I didn't make any guesses, if that's what you're implying."

"Heh." Akali flatly responded back, knowing she spoiled her own surprise. The only bonus here is that she got Evelynn to keep that smile of hers playing on her lips.

For the first couple of minutes of the car ride, Akali confidently claimed that Evelynn was going to have a lot of fun with their date and that she might even win her a prize from one of the stalls there.

"And the ring toss? Pfft. Easy-peazy. I'll win you a prize there if you want." Akali cockily guaranteed, wearing a proud look.

As for Evelynn, she gazed back at the illustrator with a fond look. "You always did want to go to amusement parks when you were young."

Akali stared back at Evelynn in an owlish manner for a couple of moments, and when she did, the siren realized what she said, which made her turn her eyes away and murmur an apology.

"Sorry. I didn't... I didn't mean to do that."

Instead of being freaked out like she used to do, she remembered hers and Senna's conversation, mainly the part about Lucian taking nearly two months just to convince her he wasn't a stalker.

Like him, Evelynn was no stalker.

She just _knew_ Akali.

"No, don't say sorry. It's fine." Akali gave Evelynn's arm a light squeeze to reassure her. "It's okay that you mention those stuff about my childhood and all. I'm actually getting used to it."

"You are?"

"Yeah." Akali then offered a smile as she gazed back at Evelynn. "Speaking of childhood, can I ask?"

Evelynn's eyebrows furrowed. "About what?"

"Your childhood. Do you..." Akali waved her hands in front of her in some random gesture of a sort, shrugging as she continued with, "...have memories of your own past?"

At the mention of such, Evelynn's demeanor shifted significantly. Akali wasn't able to exactly discern why her question seemed to have affected the goddess, but seeing how deep in thought Evelynn was, she knew she had touched a rather sensitive subject.

"Uhh, you don't have to, y'know, answer that if you're not comfortable. I just wanted to...-"

"I don't have a childhood." Was Evelynn's evenly-uttered answer, gaze wandering.

Akali blinked. "You... don't?"

Evelynn shook her head. "No creation does. Unless, of course, they were made in a young age. As for creations like Lucian, Rakan and many others like me, we came to this world in a much older age."

"Does that mean you don't have anything to remember? Anything at all?"

"I remember everything from _your _past, darling. Everything before I came alive, I can recall every single one of your memories with crystal clarity."

"So your life really started at the day you showed up at my apartment?" Akali asked, face twisting in an apologetic look. She received a nod from the siren, whose eyes slowly drifted back to her.

"Like every creation, our beginning is with our creator." Evelynn placed a hand on Akali's arm as she presented a small smile. "_You're_ my beginning, Akali. I wouldn't have asked for anyone else, honestly."

Akali's cheeks flushed at that. She coughed quietly, gaze averting and looking quite affected with Evelynn's words. She needed to steer them back to a much happier topic, particularly one that'll make Evelynn smile out of joy.

"You said you remember how I wanted to go to amusements parks when I was a kid, right?"

"Yes? What about it?"

Akali scooted close and bumped shoulders with Evelynn. "Let's make some memories, then. Later, we're gonna have all the fun we can get. Let's get cotton candies, hotdogs, caramel apples I don't really like that much but you might want, and after that, we'll go get ice cream! How does that sound?"

When Akali turned back to Evelynn, the woman shifted on the edge of her seat as she faced her. She smooshed Akali's face between her hands, cutely making the artist pucker her lips as she regarded her with a narrowed, contemplative stare.

"Uhh...Eef?" Akali tried uttering her name in her currently puckered lips, blinking at Evelynn with curiosity and mild confusion written on her face.

"I was just trying to see if you can get cuter than you already are." Evelynn eventually said, smiling as she released Akali's cheeks and rested herself on the backrest of their seat again.

"Are you always this corny?" Akali asked, nose scrunching in clear distaste towards the fact that she was referred to as cute in the first place.

"Are you always this awkward?" Evelynn retorted, smiling coolly.

"Only if I'm around my crush."

The rest of the car ride consisted of the two of them talking about their own jobs. While Akali told Evelynn all about her character project, she was still hiding the name of said character. She wanted to surprise Evelynn and intended to only show it to her once everything's been finalized.

When it came to Evelynn though, she mostly told vague details her job. She mentioned how people tended to tip her more than what customers usually give waiters and waitresses, and she's pretty sure she just heard Akali mumble about people better stick with just looking and no touching when it comes to her waiting on them.

Finally, after half an hour of traveling, they were soon out of the cab and was walking into the amusement park. It was still a bit early in the day, so there weren't much people yet.

"Sooo," Akali clapped her hands together, jumping and standing right in front of Evelynn. "what do you want to do first?"

"Well, I don't exactly know the rides here." Evelynn said, glancing around. "Any suggestions?"

"I'm pretty sure you see the huge rollercoaster behind me." Akali said, nodding over her shoulder. "We can ride that later, so it'll be one of the big finales of this part of our date."

"Alright, so where to for now?"

"I'm going to win you some prizes!" Akali then led her to where dozens of game stalls can be found, looking quite eager and confident as she approached one of them.

Getting a nice stuffed toy is great and all, but Evelynn was mostly elated with how Akali sounded like she could win everything on the shelves of the stalls. The smile that came along with it was a sight she wouldn't trade for anything in the world. It's what made _her_ smile, actually.

"See anything you like here?" Akali queried once they stopped just beside the dart throwing booth.

"With how confident you are, I'd be more amused if you failed getting me a prize." Evelynn lightheartedly teased, chuckling when Akali briefly made a face.

"Hey, I'm taking that as a challenge." Akali easily shot back before pointing at one of the toys hanging on the side front frame of the stall. "I'll try getting you that one."

Evelynn turned to where Akali pointed, spotting a plushie donning a red hoodie and a huge headset. "Well, it _does_ look cute."

"We actually came here in a good time. Practically all the prizes here aren't the normal teddy bears." Akali then nudged Evelynn with her elbow, retaking her amber gaze. "I'm sure you know the cartoons I used to watch when I was a kid. _The Big Adventures of the Little Legends_?"

Nodding, Evelynn smiled fondly as she said, "You always did copy Ossia whenever she made an appearance in the show."

"That's only 'cause she's the coolest. To me, at least." Akali surveyed the prizes in the booth for a moment before she said, "The park's promoting its remake, so the big prizes were replaced with Little Legend plushies. Although, there's no Ossia here though. Only a bunch of Melisma and Qiqi stuff. Oh, there's a few Featherknights and Paddlemars, too."

"I'd like the Melisma you pointed at." Evelynn said, prompting Akali to nod affirmatively.

"Consider it yours, then!"

Taking hold of one of her hands, Akali dragged her close to the stall until they were right in front of the attendant. She released her grasp on Evelynn's hand to withdraw her wallet, taking out a single bill, which she handed to the man before them.

"Feeling lucky?" The guy asked with a chuckle, handing her three darts.

"Well," Akali knew this was her chance to look not only a little cool, but maybe crack a flirty little quip to her date, who she made eye contact with in that very moment. "I do have a lucky charm right here and I'm ready to show her some skill."

The man glanced at Evelynn, a look of understanding crossing his face. "Ah, trying to impress, huh?"

Akali chuckled, nodding. "Yep."

Behind her, she spied Evelynn half-heartedly roll her eyes at her upon hearing her little line about her being a lucky charm. The man stepped aside and gestured at the little balloons, which were a fair distance away from where they stood.

"Pop all three balloons and you get to choose a prize from the plushies."

"I suppose this is nothing but a cakewalk for you?" Evelynn queried from behind her, inspiring a a light chuckle from her as she raised one of the darts.

"Definitely."

.....

.....

.....

** _Pop!_ **

"See?" Akali looked rather proud as she popped one of the green balloons, leaving the blue and the other green one for her to target next. "Two more and that Melisma is yours."

Evelynn hadn't even thought of a quip when Akali threw the second dart, successfully popping the blue balloon. Although the dart did strike a bit on the side, but nonetheless, it was effective and it left one more for her to finally acquire her prize for her date.

"If your goal was to show off and impress me, consider me floored." Evelynn said with a light titter, giving Akali a little poke on the side.

Akali half-jumped, shooting her a look for nearly messing up her third shot. "Hey, stop it. You're gonna make me miss my last shot."

"Okay, okay. I'll save the teasings for later."

"Thank you."

Eyes narrowed in focus and face expressing utmost concentration, Akali was clearly in it to win it. With a soft exhale, she threw the dart straight at the direction of the remaining balloon.

** _Thump!_ **

Only for her eyes to widen with absolute shock.

The dart had struck something alright. It struck the wall and landed on the spot literally right on top of the balloon she's supposed to pop.

"Ooh, tough luck there." To make things worse, that was the first thing she heard after that audible thump earlier. It was the stall attendant, who was definitely not sorry for her miss. "But don't worry. You got two out of three, so you at least get a little prize."

"A little prize?"

Akali opened up her palm and next thing she knew, she had a plain black and white hemp bracelet in hand. She blinked at the plain-looking accessory, while Evelynn looked at it over her shoulder.

"It matches your outfit, at least." Evelynn tried cheering her up, which only made her shoulders slacken.

"This does _not_ look like the Melisma I told you I'd get you."

"If you want one of the Little Legend plushies, you need to pop all of the balloons." The man said, gesturing at his sides as he added, "It's just business, kid. If you wanna try again, that's another dollar. But hey, there are a lot more games out there. Why don't you take a look around, yeah?"

"He's right." With hands clasped on Akali's shoulders, Evelynn led her away from the dart booth. "We should try other games."

Akali huffed, moving until she and Evelynn were walking alongside one another. She brought the bracelet up to their eye level, face scrunching up at the sight of it. She was clearly not pleased with her prize.

Well, that was clearly one way to embarrass herself. Now Evelynn's probably going to think she's just all bark and no bite.

"What a way to start our date here, huh?" Akali muttered, waving the bracelet around.

Evelynn chuckled. "How about _I_ try winning you one?"

"Before that though..." Akali stopped and faced Evelynn, taking one of her hands and carefully slipping the bracelet around her wrist. "I know it's not a Melisma, but...-"

"Doesn't matter." Evelynn softly cut her off. "I like it."

A smile made its way to her lips. Okay, maybe she should start looking at everything in a more positive light rather than the negative. So far, that's what Evelynn had always been doing.

"Awesome."

Evelynn broke their locked gazes first, turning to a game booth that had a much bigger area for its game. She briefly pointed a finger at where the stall manager stood, telling Akali, "I want to try that one."

"Oh, that's the Sand Art booth. They give you a bunch of bottles of sand and you get to choose what you make of them." Akali explained, letting Evelynn guide them towards the said stall. "You work at one of those tables in the tent at the back. You don't win any prizes though. It's mainly just for fun."

"I want to win myself a memory or two with you." Evelynn turned and winked. "Or rather, _make_ a few with you, at least."

Her cheeks might have reddened a little, yet Akali wasn't as flustered as she expected herself to be. There was no time for it, because she'd rather take in the entirety of Evelynn's beautiful face than look away just to uselessly hide a mere blush.

"Y'know what, yeah. Let's try it."

Once they paid their sessions for the sand art, the attendant led them through the front part of the booth, which turned out to be much longer than it looked like outside. There were a bunch of other souvenirs in display in the shelves inside, all of them involving various types of sand art. There were even small bottles of sand, colorful and plain, that can be bought to serve as keychains.

"You both have thirty minutes each." The attendant told them, setting a timer, which he placed at the edge of the upper rim of the long table they'll be sharing before leaving.

The wide tent they're in were mostly lit by the light coming from either the bottom of the light table or from the hem of the tent itself. Although the pair couldn't see each other with absolute clarity, Akali found herself noticing how Evelynn's eyes glimmered tremendously as the table's light reflected on them.

She hadn't done any sort of sand art, yet she felt like she was already catching sight of something so eye-pleasing.

"This is neat." Akali said with the intention to start a bit of idle talk, poking at the immovable divider on the very middle of the table. "Have any clue on what you'll be making?"

Evelynn flashed a smile at her as she opened one of the bottles of sand in the compartment at her side of the table, nodding. "Mm-hm. I know just the thing."

"Oh, well..." Akali refocused her eyes on her side, taking one bottle after another and pouring all of its contents onto the once blank surface.

Surprisingly, no chatter can be heard from the two of them, for they both ended up being too preoccupied by the artistic activity. While Akali was carefully drawing a pair of swans forming a heart at a little pond, Evelynn was doing something much more... extraordinary.

Akali would click her tongue in mild annoyance every now and then whenever she pushed a couple of grains of sand out of place, but other than those little mistakes, she was actually enjoying herself. She did also hold back a few groans, since her swans nearly looked like two snakes trying to bite each other's head off initially.

This was a new experience for her and the only time she had seen sand art is through the videos she saw online. Other than that though, she's as new to this as Evelynn is.

But who knew she had a knack for it? She can actually say she's _quite_ the natural.

At least twenty five minutes later, Akali finally sighed in satisfaction. She dusted the sand away from her hands once she stepped back and took a moment to admire her handiwork. She had succeeded in somehow doing a rough copy of the art she had seen in the internet, so since this was her first time, she felt pretty proud of herself.

"All done!" Akali announced mainly to herself, placing her hands on her hips as she surveyed her work.

When she received no reaction from her date, she redirected her gaze to Evelynn's side of the table. A soft breath of awe left her when she found herself looking at a sand version of her very own face.

With how her sand self's hair was made, it looked as if the woman in the image had just turned, wearing a smile that made her look happy that she faced whoever had called for her attention. Even down to the eyelashes and the little details on the lips, the art before her was absolutely breathtaking.

"Is that... me?"

Despite looking completely focused on her work, Evelynn's lips leisurely curved up into a delicate smile as she added a couple more details around the character's hair.

"Alright." Evelynn flicked the remaining sand in her right hand away once she finished, taking half a step back as she took her own turn in auditing. "What do you think?"

"What do _I _think?" Akali asked, still looking half-shocked at the magnificent work. "I think my swans are shaking."

Evelynn redirected her eyes to Akali's work, chuckling when she envisioned them doing what Akali had said. "That look marvelous, darling."

"Marvelous? Mine? No, no, no." Akali shook her head. "_Yours_ look marvelous. Hell, that looks amazing. How...? Like, seriously. How'd you make that?"

"Since you're asking..." Evelynn placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning against her as she whispered, "It's quite easy if you have someone inspiring you in all the perfect ways."

Akali quirked an eyebrow. "I inspire you?"

"You do more than just that, but yes, you do."

_ **Riiiing!** _

Both of their heads abruptly whipped towards the timer, which began loudly ringing and signaling them that their time was up. Evelynn reached for the timer to stop its rather obnoxious ringing, while Akali quickly withdrew her phone.

"I wanna take a pic of it before we leave." Akali said when Evelynn looked at her curiously.

Like her though, Evelynn also took her phone out to capture more than just one picture of the lovely swans she created. Once both of them were satisfied, the attendant finally approached them and said that their sessions were over.

As they walked out of the dark tent and back out on the much brighter part of the booth, the stall manager gave his compliments to their work. Since the products of their skill and imagination was too beautiful to not be rewarded with, they were offered to take one each of the small _'message in a bottle'_ keychains.

"Okay then," The man took the two bottles they chose from the shelf, opening them and taking the papers inside. He removed the tiny ties and laid the papers flat on his table before turning to them. "what do you want me to write in them?"

"Uhh..." A short moment merely passed, but Akali immediately thought of something. Instead of saying it outright though, she turned to Evelynn and said, "Can you, like, turn around for a sec?"

Evelynn raised an eyebrow, looking amused and curious. "What, don't want me to see your little message?"

Akali wore a playful glare as she briefly stuck her tongue out. "Just turn around."

"Alright, fine. I'm going to look around the stall."

"Yeah, yeah. Go do that."

The moment Evelynn spun around and made her way towards one of the shelves, Akali leaned towards the attendant and hurriedly whispered, "Can you write _'My Dream Come True'_ on the paper?"

The man chuckled. "A classic, huh? Of course. Want me to sign your name at the bottom?"

"Yes please. It's Akali. A-K-A-L-I, thanks."

As the man leaned close to the paper and carefully wrote the text Akali wanted, he quietly asked with a nod of his head to Evelynn's direction, "Girlfriend of yours?"

"Ah, well... We're getting there... I think?"

Again, the man chuckled. "She looks really interested in you, kid. That sand portrait she made of you is nothing to scoff at."

"Oh yeah, trust me, I didn't expect she was actually good with the whole sand stuff."

"Heh, surprises, am I right?"

"Uh-huh."

"There we go." The man announced, pulling back showing Akali the little message before he rolled the paper and tied it up again. Once he slipped it back inside the bottle and returned its cork, he lightly pushed it towards Akali before calling out for Evelynn. "What about you, miss? Anything in particular you want me to write?"

"I'm guessing it's my turn to leave." Akali said before Evelynn could even ask her to get away. "Okay, I'll be near the exit."

"Thank you, darling." Evelynn thanked with a little teasing smile, which she returned with a sweet, half-sarcastic version of her own. Turning back to the attendant, Evelynn spoke in a murmur. "Can you put _'Forever and Always'_ or is that too cliché?"

The man snickered. "Actually, that's pretty sweet. As sweet as what _she_ had me write in hers, honestly."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. She really likes you, girl."

"If that's the case, then please write that."

"Want me to sign your name, too?"

"Yes, and thank you." Evelynn thanked with a smile. "Oh, and it's Evelynn."

Akali stood at the entrance slash exit of the stall, watching Evelynn spell her name out to the attendant before she redirected her gaze somewhere else. During her observation though, she noticed how some people, specifically couples, were walking around and sharing food with one another.

_'Maybe I could get us one of those cotton candies.'_ Akali thought, briefly staring at the pair that just passed in front of her.

So far, their date has been like a ship sailing through smooth and calm waters. Akali took in a breath, holding her little bottle keychain by its silver chain and dangling it in front of her eyes.

"You're no Melisma either, but maybe she'll like you."

The bottle, of course, responded with nothing but silence. It would be freaky if it replied anyway.

"Are you actually talking to the bottle?"

Akali jumped, immediately enveloping the keychain in her palm before she could end up dropping it. She turned around and found Evelynn waving around her own keychain, looking quite proud that she finally had her own message done and stored in the tiny bottle.

"The bottle is a really good listener." Akali replied with a smile she tried passing off as casual.

Evelynn smiled, humouring her as she said, "Oh really? Well, isn't that nice, hmm?"

"Yeah..." Akali coughed lightly before she and Evelynn started walking around the park again, both of them having the rings of the little trinkets they just acquired hooked around one of their fingers. "You hungry? We could get some snacks at the food court."

"Any suggestions on what to get?"

"One of my co-workers said the cheesy tuna waffles here are amazing. Oh, and shawarma, too. I think they have some somewhere around here." Akali then tapped her chin for a moment. "Or if you want to eat something sweet, maybe we could get some of those cotton candies? Or maybe the chocolate-coated bananas?"

Evelynn chuckled at Akali's evident enthusiasm towards the amusement park's offered choices of food. "Lead the way, darling. I'll try anything you give me."

"Alright then, let's go!"

A trip to the food court later, the two eventually picked out a handful of food. While Evelynn seemed to be already content with one roll of shawarma and a can of soda, Akali had one hotdog sandwich, her own roll of shawarma and a regular size chocolate milkshake.

The pair settled on one of the tables overlooking the entirety of the swan ride, their eyes flicking at the attraction every now and then.

"Don't you think you're eating too much for someone who intends on riding the rollercoaster?" Evelynn queried in amusement, watching as Akali cleanly bit off more than a quarter of the hotdog sandwich she had in hand.

"Uhh..." Akali quickly covered her mouth when she realized it was full, cheeks flushing mildly in embarrassment. "I guess I'm just hungry...?"

Evelynn chuckled. "Not that I'm against the idea of you eating, but I'm just worried you might, well, puke once we go on one of the rides."

"Don't worry, I digest my food faster than others." Akali said once she swallowed what she had been chewing. "At least I_ think_ I do?"

The last part coaxed a sigh from the other woman. "Let's just take at least fifteen to twenty minutes to let you digest some of what you're eating."

Akali shrugged, clearly not convinced. "Fifteen minutes and then we're going to ride the rollercoaster."

"...Fine." Evelynn wanted to sigh again, but she settled in just shaking her head at the blue-eyed artist. The latter always had a habit of being the stubborn type.

Although, it might be a tiny detail no one might notice, but Evelynn was actually pretty happy with the fact that Akali's acting so comfortable around her. The artist wasn't being timid or anything of that sort. She's literally just being herself, and that's what made the goddess smile.

Exactly fifteen minutes after Akali finished all her food, she was soon dragging Evelynn towards the direction of the rollercoaster, where there was, unfortunately, a fairly long line.

While Akali seemed to be huffing about how it was such a drag to wait for a couple more minutes, maybe even more than a quarter of an hour, Evelynn was thankful they won't be riding immediately.

Being Akali's creation, she knows everything about the illustrator. Sure, she can eat tons of spicy ramyun without worrying about her stomach's state, but Evelynn knew Akali has a weak stomach when it comes to these kinds of things.

Oh, she was sincerely hoping Akali won't puke.

On the other hand though, it would be the perfect chance to say _'I told you so' _and she knew Akali would probably just send her a half-hearted glare in return if she does go through with it.

It was certainly not _her_ stomach's funeral.

Meanwhile with Akali, she was looking around and trying to see if the line was going to move any faster when her gaze landed on a young couple, probably around their age, near their place.

The girl looked visibly anxious as she eyed the steep part of the rollercoaster, while her boyfriend gave her a soft smile as he draped his arm over her shoulders and gave her a light shake.

"Hey, you don't look so good, babe."

"I'm just nervous." The girl admitted, giving her partner a small sheepish smile. "This is going to be the first time I'm going to ride a rollercoaster, after all. And, it looks really scary."

"Baby, we can get off the line if you're too scared. I don't want to ride it if you don't." The guy said, offering an understanding smile. "I won't push."

"No, no, it's fine. It's totally fine. I want to conquer my fears and who else could I ever ask to do that with but you?"

The guy openly grinned at that. "Aww, thanks, babe. Don't worry, I'll be right beside you throughout the ride, so there's nothing to be afraid of."

Akali averted her gaze from the pair to give them some privacy, especially since the girl had leaned in to give her lover a kiss.

Alright, maybe this was Akali's chance to be the one that shows more than just a simple form of affection. She's quite confident that if she can reassure Evelynn if ever she had any possible fear towards the ride they're about to go on, then that could give her a chance to be the lovingly concerned date.

Clearing her throat ever so quietly, Akali turned to Evelynn, who instantly directed her own gaze to her creator.

"Hey, Evelynn." Akali started with casual shift of her footing. "You really sure you ain't afraid of riding this one?"

Evelynn quirked an eyebrow. "Yes, I'm sure. Are you having second thoughts?"

"What? No, absolutely not." Akali let out a little laugh, shaking her head. This was definitely not the direction she was hoping it would go. She didn't want to appear as if _she's_ the one who's scared. "I just want to make sure, y'know. I mean, if you're scared or nervous or whatever, it's...-"

Akali abruptly pursed her lips when Evelynn leaned in all of a sudden, face hovering just in front of her face and leaving their noses just mere inches away from touching.

"You want me to be scared so you can comfort me and tell me everything's going to be fine, don't you?" Evelynn asked with a playful, knowing smile.

Instead of denying everything, Akali only asked, "You heard the couple's talk, too, didn't you?"

"Mm-hm." Evelynn hummed, her amusement clear in her amber eyes. "And I honestly find what you're doing adorable."

Akali offered a sheepish smile of her own, trying to look innocent even though her intentions were just exposed. "Do you also find it sweet maybe?"

"Very."

"Then, I'll consider that a win in my part."

Evelynn chuckled, pulling back but reaching forward to give Akali's cheek a light pinch, which prompted the latter to whine in reaction. "You are just precious, darling."

"Hmph."

During the remaining time they waited, Akali mumbled about how she might've made Evelynn too perceptive and too much of a charmer, while the siren herself twittered at her quietly-uttered opinions.

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

The unsettling, heavy bubbling sensation in her stomach was not at all pleasant. She can feel her stomach churning while a single gag threatened to empty her stomach's contents right then and there.

Thankfully though, as Akali stumbled out off the rollercoaster ride, she still managed to say a quick _'excuse me'_ to her date before she rushed off to the nearest restroom.

Evelynn merely trailed after her, calmly walking to where Akali went. She idled at the entrance of the comfort room as she contemplated for a moment if she should go in or not, the amused smile on her face almost widening on her lips when she heard a couple of women that exited the ladies' room say how they felt so bad for the person they heard vomiting in one of the stalls.

_'I told you so~'_ Evelynn thought to herself, shaking her head before coming to a decision and settling on making her way to the bench just across the restrooms.

Just as she made herself comfortable, she heard a cheer of victory from a nearby booth, which then captured her attention and prompted her to turn and see what it was all about.

Much to her surprise, she found her fellow creation, Vi, waving around a Protector plushie she just won for her creator, Caitlyn, who flashed a small but fond smile at the pink-haired woman.

"Told you I'd get it for ya!" Vi said, grinning as she held the Little Legend stuffed toy with one hand, while her right arm wrapped around her date's shoulder.

"You certainly did." Caitlyn murmured, giving her partner a kiss on the cheek as thanks. "Now, watch over it while I go relieve my bladder before you pull me to another booth."

Vi chuckled at that, nodding before retaking the plushie again and releasing her girlfriend, who then went in to the ladies' room. Whistling to herself, the pinkette turned around and walked towards where Evelynn was currently seated.

It didn't even take her a full second in order to recognize the goddess, who smiled back at her once they made eye contact.

"Oh! Hey, Eve!" Vi waved her free hand at her, plopping down on the vacant space beside the siren.

Evelynn greeted the other woman back with a smile, a nod and a small wave of her before she commented, "You look like you're having the time of your life."

"I am. I _totally _am." Vi replied back with what seemed to be a relieved and thankful expression mixed together. "Cupcake and I _rarely_ go out on dates like these. It's usually eating out and stuff. That's nice and all, but this type of thing is _way_ better than that."

"I'm surprised you even managed to convince her to take a day off. You did say she's a workaholic."

"Oh yeah, she is. Thank God she said yes to this date." Vi then shifted on her seat and turned halfway to Evelynn. "What about you? You out here on a date, too?"

Evelynn nodded, the smile appearing on her lips looking happier than the ones her friend used to see. "With Akali."

"Heh, so the little sucker finally asked you out. Good for you. And her, too." Vi said, adding the last part with a light chuckle to herself. "Thought I was actually going to need to beat some sense into her or something."

.....!

"Ow!" Vi scooted away from Evelynn in an instant and bringing the Protector plushie up to use as a makeshift shield, making a face after she just got swatted on the arm by the mentioned woman. "What was that for?"

"Don't you dare hurt her." Evelynn warned her, and although the tone was light and her words coming off as a seemingly harmless threat, Vi knew what it meant.

As a creation herself, she knows that they're always protective over their creators. In this case, she knew Evelynn won't hesitate to take action if ever Vi had any ill will towards Akali.

"I know, I know, I was joking! Sheesh." Instead of reacting distantly after that, Vi grinned and gave Evelynn's arm a teasing poke. "Someone's being overprotective."

"You'd do the same with Caitlyn."

"Damn right I would." Was Vi's response in a heartbeat. "Where's Akali anyway? Why're you all alone here?"

"Oh, she's in the restroom, vomiting."

Meanwhile, inside the said restroom, the Sheriff of the city can be found washing her hands after she just finished doing just what she had told her date. She checked her face in the mirror before she withdrew her lipstick from her purse to reapply some color on her lips.

Just when the tip of the cosmetic was about to touch her lips, the stall behind her opened and Akali walked out with an expression that presented relief and embarrassment.

Akali wiped the tears from her eyes as she approached the sink at Caitlyn's right, washing her hands and any possible remnants of her vomit from her lips. Once done, she placed her hands on the marble surface of the sink, sighing as she shook her head and murmured to herself.

"Great. Just great going, Kali... Puking will definitely make this date better." Akali mumbled, slapping a hand over her face in self-disappointment.

** _Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!_ **

For a second, Akali's eyebrows furrowed at the sound of something being shaken at her left. Turning to the source of the little noise, she found Caitlyn holding a small plastic pack of breath mints. Akali blinked back at the woman in an owlish manner, clearly not expecting what she was being presented with.

"It's never nice to have bad breath during a date." Caitlyn said, offering the pack to Akali. "And vomiting in an amusement park isn't exactly unusual."

Face mildly reddening in embarrassment, Akali straightened out of her slouched posture and took the pack from Caitlyn, who she eventually recognized once she got a good look of her face.

"Thanks." Akali popped two little mints in her mouth before handing it back. "You're the Sheriff, aren't you? Vi's partner?"

Caitlyn raised a curious eyebrow at her, reapplying her lipstick first before capping the cosmetic and replying, "I am. You a friend of hers?"

"Uh, yeah. I was the one who flying kicked that guy a couple of months ago? I don't know if you'd remember...-"

"Oh, so you're _that_ girl. Yes, I remember." Caitlyn chuckled. "People don't always do what you did when somebody tries to steal from them, after all."

Akali gave a half-sheepish smile. "Yeah... Anyway, thanks for the mints. You're a lifesaver."

"Don't mention it."

The two of them walked out of the comfort room together, both of them engaging in idle chatter as they did. They did feel like it would be awkward if they just let the silence between them last as they both made their way to the exit.

"Vi's probably a handful, huh?" Akali lightly quipped, recalling a couple of bits and pieces from her talk with the pinkette months ago. "She told me about how she's used to you sighing at whatever she's doing."

Caitlyn gave a soft, scoff-like chuckle. "Well, she _does_ have a habit of being a pain in the neck."

"Really?"

"Mm-hm." Caitlyn's eyes then narrowed, and not because they just stepped out of the restroom, but mainly because she remembered what had happened earlier. One of the stall managers was winking and saying a bunch of flirtatious lines at Vi, who seemed to be oblivious of the person's advances. "Mainly because she has good looks."

Akali found that relatable. She'd be lying if she claimed that she hadn't seen anyone eyeing Evelynn during their date. Like Vi, the goddess was also unaware of the attention she gets from the other people they passed.

"I... kinda know what you feel." Akali slowly said, laughing to herself as she shook her head.

She didn't get a reply though. When she turned to look at the officer beside her, she found Caitlyn staring ahead. Her expression visibly shifted upon seeing whatever it was she had her eyes on in that moment.

Curiously, Akali copied the other and looked forward, her eyes widening at the sight of her friend, Vi, casually socializing with her date.

While Caitlyn seemed to be attempting to figure out who Evelynn is, Akali was just overcoming the surprise that washed over her. She didn't even know that her friend knew Evelynn, or that Vi herself is actually a creation as well. Both were facts she has yet to confirm.

"The struggles of being in a relationship with her." Caitlyn murmured to herself with a small huff.

Vi and Evelynn were thankfully not so absorbed in their conversation and were quick to stand up from the bench and meet their dates halfway, the mentioned pair possessing different expressions about what they're seeing.

"Hey, looks like you're done." Vi immediately gave a grin she tried playing off as innocent as she looked in between the two people in front of her and the siren. "Hey there, Kali! I see you met Caitlyn in the ladies' room."

"Vi!?" Akali's eyes widened, looking in between Vi and Evelynn, who calmly left her place on the bench they were seated at. "You...! You actually _know_ Evelynn?"

"Right, uh, introductions!" Vi cleared her throat and gestured as she started naming them out loud. "Cait, this is Evelynn. The creation I've been telling you about. Remember her?"

Caitlyn hummed, nodding once. "I most definitely do."

"Yeah, so, Evelynn, this is Caitlyn. My creator slash girlfriend slash partner." Vi gestured at Caitlyn for a second before her hand waved at Akali. "And Akali here is my friend and also Evelynn's creator."

At the mention of the last part, Caitlyn evidently relaxed from her slightly tense form as she turned to Akali and surveyed her for a moment. As for the said artist, she was still in the middle of processing the blatant fact that Vi apparently knew who and what Evelynn is.

"I shouldn't be worried, then?" She queried, her gaze more focused on Akali rather than the pinkette or the magenta-haired woman. "You and Evelynn here are...-"

Evelynn delicately cleared her throat to capture Caitlyn's attention. "Yes, we're dating. To ease your mind even further, I'd like to clarify that Vi isn't my type, nor will she ever be. She's just a dear friend of mine and that's what she'll always be to me."

Akali realized what Evelynn was doing and seeing how Caitlyn still had this mildly subtle jealous gleam in her turquoise-colored eyes, she figured this would be the perfect opportunity to douse the sparking flames of possible drama.

"Yeah, and Vi here is pretty head over heels for you." Akali said, before bringing up to the pinkette, "And Vi, Caitlyn here _really_ cares about you and might just love you more than you know."

Vi raised an eyebrow at that. "And how would you know that?"

"I think Caitlyn should tell you why I think it's like that." Akali instantly replied with a brief gesture to the other woman. "Isn't that what dates are for? Getting to know each other and what not?"

Evelynn placed a hand behind Vi's shoulder, lightly pushing her towards Caitlyn. "How 'bout you and your date go on your way while I handle things from here, hmm?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, totally. Thanks, Eve." Vi flashed the goddess a thankful smile before she hastily wound an arm around Caitlyn's waist and led her away from the other pair. "Hope you guys enjoy your date."

"You, too."

Despite the urge Akali had in questioning Vi about the things fleeting in her mind, and Caitlyn looked like she was hoping to be more acquainted to Evelynn, the pinkette was quick to take action and resume hers and the Sheriff's date. She preferred to proceed to the part where they won't have to be involved in the upcoming conversation between the two.

When they went their separate ways from the couple they crossed paths with, Evelynn and Akali can be found tackling their own set of queries for one another.

"So," Evelynn started, loosely interlocking her arm with one of Akali's and leading her to the opposite direction the other couple walked off to. "you had Vi look me up?"

Akali instantly snapped her gaze to Evelynn, lips parting and closing with every unfinished word she tried uttering. She pursed her lips and cleared her throat before she said, "Sorry. You just came out of nowhere and I thought you're just someone who climbed into my apartment and stripped naked."

Evelynn hummed. "Now that just sounds like every man's wet dream. Or in this case, maybe yours."

Akali choked on the mints she had in her mouth, accidentally swallowing one of them in the process. Evelynn snickered at her reaction, giving her arm a light squeeze.

"I'm just joking, Akali."

"I, _ahem!_ I know you were." Akali murmured, gaze averting and hand brushing her bangs a little bit to try and cover some of the blush on her face.

"I don't blame you for having me looked up." Evelynn said, shrugging. "You said it yourself, I _did_ come out of nowhere. Also, the others did point out how my lack of... coverage was worth freaking out about."

"Others?"

"Other creations."

"Right. Uhm..." Akali scratched the back of her head, asking, "I know that creations have this weird link with one another, but I didn't expect the thing with you and Vi."

"You say it as if me and Vi had a past." Evelynn pointed out with a titter. "To be fair, creations know other creations, but we don't _always_ know who are the creators, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah... Does that mean Vi knew you, but she she didn't know _I _was the one who made you?"

"Actually, she probably knew about you already because you spoke to her about me. Although she didn't mention anything about that to me."

"Does that mean the Sheriff also went through the same thing as me?" Akali asked mainly out of curiosity. "She doesn't look like the type to do that though."

"Oh, she did. She thought Vi was this exhibitionist trespasser."

"She appeared in her house naked, too?"

"Mm-hm. Most of us do. It kinda showcases the sense of humour the Eternals have. They sometimes make it similar to how a baby is born to the world, especially if it'll get quite a reaction from the creator. In this case, some of us skipped the childhood years and went straight to adulthood."

At the mention of childhood, Akali was brought back to the fact that they're on a date and that they should be making fun memories to compensate for Evelynn's lack of such.

Talking about this in particular helps her in getting to know Evelynn and her origins, but Akali preferred keeping their date light and more manageable for either of them. She'd rather save these heavy topics for later.

"Enough talk about those stuff." Akali said, puffing out her chest a bit. "We should be having fun. And although our date did hit a bit of a speed bump with my little puking episode there,"

"I actually found it amusing."

"and I'm _glad_ that you do. That means I haven't ruined our date yet."

"Yet?"

"Yes, yet." Akali then sighed. "I just feel like I'm gonna screw it up."

"And why's that?"

"I'm not used to taking the lead on these kinds of stuff." They both halted their walk once Akali turned to face Evelynn, looking sheepish as she tried to casually shrug. "It's the guy that always takes the lead in dates, right? I mean, I'm enjoying this because I'm getting to know you and it's really nice to see you smile. But, I'm scared I might make a wrong move and it'll end up with me making you cry again."

Confessing that she's afraid that she might mess everything up wasn't really part of the agenda she had in mind, but Akali figured being more open to Evelynn like how the woman is to her was more than just fair.

"Akali," Evelynn cupped her face in her delicate hands, meeting the pout Akali was unconsciously wearing with a smile of her own. "you don't have to try so hard. If you ask me, you don't have to try at all."

"But I want to." Akali said, resting most of her head's weight on Evelynn's palms. Was this considered a perk from having a date much taller than her? She gets a good look at those amber crystals with no obscurity in her view?

"And I appreciate the effort. Believe me, I do."

"Well," Akali straightened up, making a face when Evelynn squished her cheeks like earlier in the taxi. "I want to win a prize for you. I saw what Vi got Caitlyn there. I want to get you a plushie of your own."

Evelynn chuckled at not only the slightly smooshed face Akali was presenting thanks to her own doings, but also the genuine determination that she found oh so adorable. "How do you plan on getting me one then, hmm?"

Akali looked around with her eyes with mild difficulty, silently thankful when Evelynn finally released her cheeks and allowed her to openly search for a booth that had either a Melisma or an Ossia plushie.

Her eyes lit up once it landed on the Rope Ladder booth.

"That one."

Evelynn had yet to look over her shoulder to see what Akali had pointed at when the latter pulled her towards the mentioned booth. Lightheartedly shaking her head at Akali's enthusiasm, she easily kept up with her pace and was soon standing right in front of the stall.

For a moment, they idled where they stood and watched as another couple in front of them tried out the game first. The man seemed to be an expert, for he climbed the ladder with expertise that could rival the stall manager's own.

"Congratulations!" The booth handler said as he took a QiQi plushie from its place and handed it to the woman the recent winner is with. "A cute QiQi for the pretty lady."

"Like it, honey?" The guy asked, smiling widely as he hopped off the ladder and landed on the air-filled cushion underneath.

"I love it!" The girl said, sticking a hand out to help her boyfriend off the cushion. "Thank you, baby!"

"Anything for you, sweetheart."

Knowing she and Akali had just witnessed something awfully sweet and a clear example of someone winning a prize for their date, Evelynn turned to catch a possible reaction from Akali.

Like what she predicted, Evelynn found Akali huffing as she fixed and tightened her ponytail. Just by looking at her face, the goddess knew her creator was in no way going to walk away from this booth without a plushie in hand.

Evelynn gave Akali a light hip bump, saying, "It's not a competition, y'know."

"I know," Akali said, before adding, "but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna make an effort in getting you a prize."

Evelynn chuckled at that. She knew that once Akali sets her mind on something, it was going to be massively difficult to deter her from her plans. Leaning in, she murmured, "Let's make it fair, then. If you win me a prize, I'll give you kiss on the cheek."

Akali perked up at that. She turned to Evelynn and flashed a confident smile. "Deal."

Since Evelynn's a creation of hers and knew practically everything about her, Akali guessed that the siren probably knew how she used to love climbing trees when she was a kid. This whole ladder thing is nothing but a cakewalk for her.

Once she paid the stall manager and was at the very beginning of the ladder, Akali started with grasping and stepping onto the ropes instead of using the rungs. It's a technique that's significantly effective in reaching the end of the ladder.

Throughout her way towards the red button at the end, Akali kept a careful but steady space. Although she was a level slower than the man before her, she was still able to reach the goal. And to be honest, the whole thing did give Evelynn a fair amount of time to _'admire'_ the cute view Akali was presenting.

"Almost there, darling!" Evelynn called out, which was more than enough of a boost for Akali to finish the ladder.

_ **BUZZ!** _

"We got another winner!" Came the stall manager's cheer.

Akali grasped the wooden rung at the end, turning halfway and looking over shoulder to catch sight of Evelynn. She grinned and pumped a fist in the air as she said, "Ha! I finally got you a prize!"

Evelynn had a bright smile and was about to reply when her eyes widened and ended up calling out her creator's name.

Why you wonder?

The ladder shifted underneath Akali's weight exactly after a few seconds she changed her hold on it. The whole thing spun around and when Akali was thrown off by the sudden swing, she didn't loosen her grip on one of the rungs. An audible grunt left her when she felt a jolt of pain surge through her right hand and wrist, which she most likely sprained because of her delayed reflex action.

With a small groan, Akali crawled to the front of the booth, where Evelynn was waiting for her with an outstretched hand and a concerned look on her face. Using her left hand, she accepted Evelynn's assistance and gave a small smile in thanks.

"You okay there, girl?" The stall manager asked, clearly noticing she hadn't dismounted correctly. "That was quite the fall, y'know."

"Heh, I'm fine, I'm fine!" Akali played off her slightly aching wrist, grinning a little and waving it off. "So, did my date here choose a prize?"

The man nodded, handing out an Ossia plushie. "Yeah, she chose this one."

"Cool." Akali took the toy and thanked the manager before facing Evelynn completely and waving the item before her. "Finally got you a Little Legend."

Evelynn may be wearing a smile, but it wasn't exactly the happiest. It's clear that Akali wouldn't be able to hide the fact that she just hurt herself.

"...Evelynn?"

With a soft exhale, Evelynn accepted the Ossia toy before she interlocked arms with Akali. They started down the painted path ahead of them, the siren leading them to the exit without Akali's awareness.

"Thank you, darling. For the plushie and all, but..." Evelynn showed a small frown as she continued with, "...I wish you didn't have to get hurt for you to get this for me."

"Oh, psh! It was nothing!" Much to Akali's misfortune, she used the wrong hand and waved the other woman's words away with her right, which prompted her to wince ever so slightly at the sting she felt.

"You're hurt."

"I'm fine! Trust me, I'm totally okay."

Although there's evident skepticism in Evelynn's eyes, the latter allowed the matter to slip, but not without a compromise of her own. Once they caught sight of the main entrance slash exit, which is where the Infirmary is also nearby, Evelynn said, "That's enough games for today, don't you think? Let's get some ice cream."

"But the food court is that way." Akali said, nodding her head over to the other direction.

"I know. I was talking about going to the ice cream parlor."

"Ohh, okay, okay."

"But first," Evelynn raised a finger at her. "we're going to have that wrist of yours bandaged."

"What? I told you, I'm fine!"

Evelynn shook her head and began to drag her to the direction of the infirmary. "Either you have it taken care of or the date is over. Your choice."

Upon hearing the last part, Akali gave a pout-like scowl. As stubborn as she may be, she was in no way going to let such be the reason for the sudden end of their date. Especially not when everything's going so well.

"Hmph. Fine."

Evelynn escorted Akali to the park's infirmary in a manner that made Akali feel like she was being treated as some sort of fragile package that would easily break if handled too recklessly. Although she found it embarrassing, she was feeling more than a little giddy on the inside with the show of concern from Evelynn herself.

The whole treatment on her wrist was quick and they didn't have to stay for too long to have it taken care of. Once it was bandaged and Akali was advised not to move it too much, they finally left the amusement park and made their way to their next destination for their date.

Akali tried convincing Evelynn to walk their way to the ice cream parlor, but the woman would have none of it and said they were hailing a cab since Akali needs to rest as much as she can due to the incident at the ladder game. Of course that inspired a pout from the illustrator.

"Don't you think you're going a little overboard? I mean, it's not _that_ bad." Akali said once they were seated in a taxi and were on their way to the ice cream place.

"Nope." Was Evelynn's immediately reply, shaking her head. "I want you to just rest for now. Since I know where we're going, I suppose I can take the lead in this date of ours for now."

"But I was supp...-"

"No buts, or we can go straight home."

That nearly made Akali whine. "I'm starting to hate it when you use that to win."

"And I love how you're still trying to take initiative over this date in your state."

Akali settled on mumbling a bunch of complaints under her breath, letting Evelynn have her way. The cab ride to the ice cream parlor was brief, yet Evelynn had her fill of chuckling at Akali's attempts of showing her how the cab was initially unnecessary.

Once they arrived at the parlor, Evelynn swiftly led them to one of the booths, which gave Akali not much of a choice but to take a seat and look up to the the goddess, who gave her shoulder a light squeeze.

"Let me order for us, okay?"

Although Akali originally pictured herself ordering for them, but since Evelynn seemed to be determined in keeping the roles reversed, she forfeited with a quiet sigh.

"Okay." Akali replied before tilting her head as she eyed Evelynn. "I'm assuming you already know what flavor I want?"

"It's vanilla ice cream with a heap of matcha syrup, right?" Evelynn returned with a confident, and rather smug, smile.

Akali raised both of her hands in front of her, smiling a little as she said, "Okay, alright, no need to show off."

The comment made them both chuckle, but when Evelynn just turned around to order their sweet treats, Akali took a turn in showing off between the two of them.

Her words certainly affected Evelynn.

"And you like vanilla, too. But difference is, you want it drowned with hot fudge."

Evelynn halted, leisurely turning and facing her again. "And how did you know that?"

"I remembered from the last time we went here."

"That was a long time ago." Evelynn pointed out, genuinely surprised. "I can't believe you still remembered."

"Oh, uh, well..." Akali visibly blushed at that, especially with how Evelynn looked so happy to know that she had indeed remembered. "Even though I was still skeptical about you suddenly appearing out of nowhere that time, I still took the time to remember what you liked and disliked."

Despite the gesture seemingly little, it had a huge effect on Evelynn, whose cheeks reddened at the confession. To cover up her embarrassment, she reached out and gave Akali's cheek a soft pinch.

"Careful, darling. You're making me fall head over heels for you."

With a wink, Evelynn finally spun around and made her way to the front counter to order their ice creams. Back at their table, Akali continued to watch her date with a smile playing on her lips.

"That's the plan."

When Akali took her gaze away and decided to survey the cute decorations around the parlor, she found herself recalling their first trip here together. Her left hand's fingers stroked and fiddled with the bandages wrapped around her right as she sighed at the awful memory.

Yes, she did choose this to be part of their date, but she didn't exactly think she'd be sighing over what she had done to Evelynn a few months ago. She wanted to start over. It's the reason why she chose this in the first place.

The more she thought about it though, her curiosity rose as well and made her think about Evelynn and what she knew she's capable of.

Directing her gaze to the Ossia plushie Evelynn had set on her side of the booth, Akali stared at the stuffed toy and tilted her head as she asked in a murmur, "I'm doing things right, right?"

Expectedly, she received no reply from the plushie.

Akali felt a bit childish when she realized what she just did.

"Darling?"

Akali snapped her head up and her eyes darted from the table to the amber-eyed beauty setting down two cups of cool treats and two bottles of water in front of her. She gave a smile of thanks to Evelynn, who slid and settled across her, lightly pushing the plushie further inside the booth.

"Something on your mind?" Evelynn queried, handing her a spoon as she spoke.

Akali accepted the utensil, smiling a little sheepishly. "Yeah, everything's fine. I was just... thinking."

"Of what?"

"Of our first trip here."

"Ah, that." Evelynn reached across the table and placed a hand over Akali's bandaged one. "We're here for a new beginning, Akali. Don't think too much about it. There's a reason why it's called the past. Just like how the present is called the present."

Akali's eyebrows furrowed slightly. She somehow sensed Evelynn has a good reason behind that point. "Why _do_ they call it the present?"

"Because the present is also a gift, and time is precious. And for me, there are only two things that's precious. Time and," Evelynn gave a wink once again, smiling as she said, "you."

It was most probably the most cliché line Akali has ever heard in her entire life, but she still felt her cheeks heat up in reaction. Her heart even raced with how genuine the goddess had said it.

Akali turned her hand around and gave Evelynn's own hand a squeeze before she reached into her pocket and withdrew the bottle keychain from her pocket.

"Here." She placed the bottle on top of Evelynn's palm, smiling. "I had the man write, _'My Dream Come True'_ in the paper, just so you know."

Evelynn took the keychain, the delight in her eyes clearly showing. Nodding to herself, she gently set I right beside her ice cream cup before withdrawing the keychain that contained _her_ little message.

"Forever and always." Was the only thing Evelynn said before placed the bottle right in front of Akali, who then glanced between her and the trinket.

"Forever and always? That's what you had the man write?"

"Mm-hm." Evelynn hummed before taking her spoon and taking a small scoop of ice cream for herself. "Those three words have a handful of meanings, so I leave it up to you on how you'll interpret it."

"Okay..." Akali took the tiny bottle and rolled it around her fingers, eyes focused on the rolled paper within. "That actually sounds sweet... and kinda cool."

"And so is your ice cream." Evelynn said with a nod of her head to the described treat. "Although I highly doubt that it won't melt if you leave it be."

"Oh, right! Ice cream."

Flashing a bit of a sheepish smile, Akali placed the bottle right beside the one she had given Evelynn before she grabbed her own spoon again. Only for her to wince when she took a scoop and lifted the spoon up to her mouth thanks to her sprained wrist. She probably should have used her left hand.

If she did such, maybe then Evelynn wouldn't be eyeing her with, once again, another concerned look.

"Darling, are you alright?"

Akali gave a short, embarrassed laugh. "It's just, y'know. My wrist."

When she got no verbal response and only got a stare from her date, Akali thought Evelynn was content with what she said and wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

But of course, the siren always had her surprises.

Once Akali placed the spoon down and tugged on her bandages a bit to try and loosen it a little, Evelynn took her spoon and scooped another small portion of ice cream. It was then offered to Akali, who was quick to make a face at the gesture.

"Oh come on, Evelynn! I can eat by myself. You don't have to...-"

"I want to." Evelynn smoothly cut her off, nodding her head at the raised spoon. "Besides, I always wanted to do this with you."

Akali pouted for a second before she asked, "What, spoon-feed me?"

"Not exactly." Evelynn said with a chuckle. "Did you ever notice what I tried doing when you took me out for the first time to eat at a fast-food restaurant?"

The memory of her bringing Evelynn to the fast-food place near her apartment fleeted across her mind for a second, recalling how distracted the cashier was with Evelynn at the time.

"I... guess not?"

"Two things. First, eat the ice cream or else it's going to drip."

Upon the mention of that, Akali forfeited and leaned in, eating the spoonful her date had offered her. Letting the creamy treat melt in her mouth, she gestured for Evelynn to continue.

"Second, I tried being affectionate with you by feeding you a french fry, but you ended up taking it from me."

The expression on Akali's face made it clear how she was so embarrassed with what she just heard. She could clearly remember the moment Evelynn was referring to, so she couldn't help but hunch her shoulders a little and avert her eyes for a second.

"Oh... So _that's_ what you meant with that."

Evelynn didn't seem to be offended though. In fact, she was actually amused with the rather belated reaction she was receiving. She leaned in and murmured, "Are you finally going to let me have this one and help you finish that ice cream of yours?"

Instead of being more flustered, Akali smiled and nodded. "Alright, I'll let you have this one. But later with dinner, I'm going to eat with my _own_ hands, okay?"

"Can I still offer you food like how I offered you the fry?"

"...Yeah, sure, if it makes you feel better."

"You have yourself a deal, then."

Evelynn took turns in between eating her own treat and in feeding Akali with her own ice cream. It was certainly not something she was burdened with. In fact, she was feeling all warm and fuzzy with how Akali was truly trusting her and being more open and carefree with her.

Her friends were right. Things like this? A blossoming relationship? They always take time.

Evelynn honestly cannot put into words with how happy she was that Akali finally had her eyes on her.

As for Akali, she was realizing what she's been missing out on. Although it was initially unclear with what Evelynn would bring into her life, she could now see it.

Evelynn gave her the attention she had always wanted. The time she always craved for. The affection she always sought. In the end, as she accepted the most recent spoonful of ice cream from the siren, Akali had a bright smile on her face.

The woman before her really is her dream come true.

What her parents, mainly her mother, had not bothered in giving her in her childhood, it's what Evelynn was oh so ready to offer to her and more.

It's what made Akali realize that Evelynn is beginning to mean more to her than she initially thought.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Throughout the rest of the afternoon, the two of them chose to walk around Valoran Park, which was thankfully just a couple of blocks away from the ice cream parlor.

Even though Evelynn still had hints of worry towards Akali's injury, she decided not to ruin the mood between them by telling Akali that she might still need to rest. She knew the artist is a grown woman and that she's more than capable of handling a sprained wrist during a date.

Besides, with how Akali was so eager in showing her around the park and pointing at spots she confidently guaranteed would be a nice place to chill at, Evelynn knew it was too good of a sight to not pay any attention to.

Despite telling Akali how she knew things no one but Akali herself would know, the latter seemed to have a habit in forgetting. Either way though, Evelynn loved how enthusiastic Akali is in attempting to introduce to her her the best sights in the park.

They also received a comment from an old couple how _they_ looked adorable together when Akali had taken a selfie of them. While it made Evelynn feel more than a tad bit happy, the words in particular were enough to momentarily render Akali quiet and settle in sheepishly smiling.

Eventually, when nightfall came, Akali eagerly led Evelynn to where she intended to have them both eat dinner at. This was the so called finale of their date, so she felt a bit proud of herself that she'll be taking Evelynn to one of the renowned restaurants in Valoran.

It's honestly hard to get a reservation in _Lokfar_, the restaurant she was describing earlier, since it's _quite_ the popular with the people in the city. Regardless though, Akali had acquired a table for two for tonight.

Of course she made this arrangement without knowing Evelynn actually works in this particular establishment.

When they walked into the warm and cozy-looking restaurant, they were immediately greeted by the _maître d'hôtel_, who was dressed in a simple yet striking black suit.

"Welcome to Lokfar, ladies." He greeted with a small bow of his head, immediately opening the notebook on his podium-like table. "Do we have a reservation?"

Akali nodded and said her name, making it clear how she had called a few days ago for the mentioned reservation. Behind her, Evelynn seemed to be a bit amused with how the man mildly struggled with finding Akali's name in the list.

Olaf had mentioned to her how he had hired a temporary replacement for her job as the head waiter whenever she's out. Initially, she suggested to the man to just promote Rakan, but he said the blond charmer's too 'chatty' to be a refined _maître d'hôtel_. Of course that didn't mean Rakan failed in getting impressive tips from their customers. He's actually one of the reasons some people come back to Lokfar other than the exquisite dishes Olaf and his creations whip up.

"Try checking in the last few pages of the list." Evelynn decided to suggest when she noticed there was a small line beginning to form behind her and Akali.

The current head waiter didn't hesitate in following Evelynn's words. He flipped the book around and checked in the last couple of pages, almost sighing in relief once he found Akali's name.

"Ah! There it is. My apologies for the delay." The man politely smiled and gave an apologetic bow before her spun around and called for one of the waiters. "Rakan, over here, please."

With a smile that was clearly displayed to charm customers, a waiter approached them upon the call of the _maître d'hôtel_. He already had two menus in hand as he came forward, but before he could tell them to follow her, his eyes lit up at the sight of his fellow creation.

"Oh! Are you two on a date?" Rakan abruptly asked, a wide smile appearing on his face instead of uttering a proper formal greeting. "So that's why you asked for a leave!"

Akali blinked owlishly at Rakan before she turned to Evelynn, who shook her head as she chuckled at the evidently excited waiter before them. "Uh, what does that supposed to mean?"

Evelynn faced Akali, smiling a small and rather adorable and sheepish smile. "How about we take a seat first?"

"Ooh! Yeah, that's a really good idea." Rakan answered for Akali with a snap of his fingers. "Right this way, ladies."

Akali chose to walk along with Evelynn and follow after Rakan, noticing how some of the waiters and waitresses gave quick waves and flashed fleeting smiles at her date. Clearly, this wasn't Evelynn's first time here. In fact, it looks like she knows everyone who works here.

Once Rakan had them both settled at a table, one that had a C-shaped seat, he handed them the menus before telling them he'll be back in a few to take their orders. The second the waiter took his leave Akali placed her menu down and raised her head to look at Evelynn, who was actually gazing at her with a knowing stare.

"I'm guessing you want to know why the people here are so familiar with me?"

Akali nodded, slowly closing her menu. "I'm kinda nervous to ask for the reason why."

Evelynn chuckled. "Let me at least assure you that you're the first person that has taken me here on a date."

That got a sigh of relief from Akali. It vanquished the possibility of another person, man or woman, beating her in taking Evelynn here for a romantic dinner date. Her reaction inspired another chuckle from Evelynn, who clearly had a clue on what Akali was thinking.

"Maybe you can tell me now why the people here know you?" Akali asked with a small gesture of her uninjured hand.

"Oh, that's easy. I work here." Evelynn simply replied. "I'm the current _maître d'hôtel_ of the restaurant since the previous one resigned a couple of months ago."

"Wow." Akali uttered in amazement. "I guess I shouldn't be so surprised, huh? I mean, you _are_ gorgeous. And, you'd make an incredible host. Especially you with wearing skirts and, well, suits...? Do you wear suits?"

Evelynn couldn't give an immediate a response. How could she? Akali looked a little spaced out with what she had in her mind. Apparently, envisioning Evelynn donning an immaculate black suit was more than enough for her to trail off and let her focus be derailed for a moment.

As tempting as it is to see Evelynn wearing a fitted pencil skirt that'll show her curves off and the beauty of her long legs, there's just something about her wearing a suit that poked at Akali's interest.

"It depends on the availability of my wardrobe." Evelynn eventually answered, winking when she caught Akali's gaze.

Akali feigned a cough, nodding. "Right, right, 'course."

"As for Rakan, well, he's actually a creation. Like me."

Topic seemingly shifting and becoming more interesting, Akali perked up at her seat as she asked, "He is?"

"Mm-hm, and so are two out of three of the chefs of this restaurant."

"Leona and Atreus, right?"

The surprise was evident on Evelynn's face, but she looked like she was happy with how Akali seemed to be aware of the mentioned creations. 

"Yes, Leona and Atreus." Evelynn confirmed with a nod. "How do you know about them?"

"Senna told me some bits of details about this place and the owner of it, Olaf."

"Oh, well, that certainly saves me the trouble of bringing that point up."

Akali glanced at the direction where the kitchen is before returning her full focus on Evelynn. "Can I ask a question?"

"And what may that be?"

"Did you know about the reservation I made here?"

"Actually, no, I didn't. If I did, I would've told you all about the fact that I work here." Evelynn truthfully answered with a light shake of her head. "You probably spoke to Leona when you made the reservation. She told me about how she took a reservation when I was having my bathroom break."

"Isn't she supposed to be in the kitchen meal service?"

"She comes in during late mornings, since she's in charge of lunch and dinner service. When you called, it was likely coincidental that she was the one nearest and ended up the one who picked up the phone."

"Ah." Akali gave a nod again before she cleared her throat and raised her menu a little. "We should probably order, then?"

Smiling, Evelynn hummed in agreement.

The two of them had literally just finished deciding on what they'll be getting when Rakan approached their table yet again. He had a notepad held in one hand and a pen in the other, looking in between the pair as he asked for their orders.

"Will that be all?" Rakan queried professionally once they gave their orders, flashing his naturally attractive smile.

Evelynn nodded and handed both hers and Akali's menus. "Thanks, Rakan."

"No problem!" Rakan tucked his left hand behind him, gesturing with the hand holding the pen. "If I may, I'd like to mention how tables like the one you're occupying right now is something designed solely to provide couples on dates the chance to sit close with one another without moving any chair at all! So, feel free to scoot over and cuddle while you wait for your orders."

After clicking his tongue and giving a cheeky, little wink, he rushed off to deliver their orders to the kitchen, leaving Evelynn to shake her head at his words, while Akali felt a bit embarrassed at the idea of being all lovey-dovey with the goddess in public.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, you can ignore what he said." Evelynn said with an understanding look. "I don't want you to act on impulse because of it."

Akali shook her head, feebly waving it off. "No, no, don't worry 'bout it. He's probably just being that supportive friend. Kind of like a wingman, maybe?"

Evelynn tittered at the term. "Yes, I guess that label suits him.

A short moment passed with the two of them glancing around the restaurant. Akali would glance at her date every now and then, especially whenever she saw how the woman played with the little cap perched over the head of the plushie in between them.

Evelynn soon returned her attention to Akali, which captured the artist's focus in a heartbeat. She straightened up and offered a small smile, which inspired a curve to form on the goddess' own lips.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"What do you think about what the couple called us earlier? At the park?"

Akali didn't need to take a moment to refresh her memory, since she instantly knew what Evelynn was referring to. "Oh, that."

Yes, the couple had simply called them adorable together, but the two younger pair were quite sure the former thought they're official. Because of such, Evelynn seemed to be gauging Akali's reaction.

"What do you think about it?"

"I'm... actually okay with it." Akali replied carefully, also checking to see how her reply affected Evelynn. "If I'm right about what they think, then I'm kinda glad they think that."

"Really?"

Amber eyes slightly wide and a twinkling sparkle in within those crystals, Akali couldn't help but smile at how a single-word reaction could make Evelynn appear so innocent. It completely contradicted with her usually fierce and teasing attitude.

Akali tilted her head as she admired Evelynn's face. What left her lips may be sudden, but it was sincere and absolutely true.

"You're beautiful."

Evelynn took her own turn in staring back at Akali, and even though her expression settled in a lighthearted one, there was this light but evident blush that spread across her cheeks. The compliment was so out of the blue and the way Akali so softly uttered it was what made it more than just a simple statement.

"...Thank you."

Eyes locked with one another and both feeling their hearts pick up at the eye contact, it was such a tender moment for the two of them. That was until...

"Dinner is served!"

Both Evelynn and Akali's eyes snapped towards Rakan, who suddenly rushed into sight with a tray holding two plates, which he laid before them one by one.

"That was quick." Akali said in genuine surprise.

"It was." Evelynn then turned to Rakan and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "What did you do and why were we suddenly bumped up in the queue?"

Rakan tried putting on an offended look. "What? Me? I didn't do anything. All I did was tell Olaf and the others at the back how you're here on a date with someone. Nothing wrong about that, right?"

As Rakan said that, he spun around and accepted the bottle of wine a waitress handed him. He gave her a quick thanks before smoothly returning his attention back to the pair he's serving.

"Now, wine?"

Amused, Akali redirected her gaze back to Evelynn, who gave their server a playful glare. She found it adorable. After all, she hasn't seen Evelynn act all mischievous and friendly with others. It was nice to know her creation had some trustworthy companions other than her.

With a sweet smile, Evelynn just moved hers and Akali's glasses closer to Rakan. "Please."

Attempting to not be much of a mood killer though, Akali asked quietly, "Uhh, how much is the wine?"

"Oh, this? Don't worry! This bottle is straight out Leona's wallet." Rakan proudly said as if it was _his_ money that was used to pay for the wine, gesturing at their meals once he finished pouring in their glasses. "As for those two, Olaf said they're on the house. And, it doesn't just end there. Atreus will be serving you both some chocolate-coated strawberries and a small cup of matcha pudding."

Evelynn now had a visibly confused look. "Wait a minute, matcha pudding isn't in the menu."

"It _isn't_." Rakan affirmed with a grin. "It's a special treat Atreus is making for your cute, little date here."

Giving Evelynn a little teasing nudge, Rakan promised he'll be back to serve their desserts once they finish their meals before he finally excused himself again and went on to do a different task.

"I can't believe they're doing this." Evelynn eventually spoke up, smiling to herself as she shook her head.

Although Akali was still willing to pay for the food, she still found it entertaining how Evelynn's friends were being so supportive, even though it was making things between them a bit awkward.

"I'm so sorry if you feel so uncomfortable right now." Evelynn apologized with a small embarrassed smile.

"It's fine, it's okay. Your friends clearly mean well. And, I find it real funny how they're so supportive of you." Akali said with a smile of her own. "They really love you."

"They do. And, I admit, I can say the same, but..." Evelynn softly cleared her throat and shifted on her seat. "...of course I won't admit that out loud so freely. Especially with Rakan around."

"Aww, come on. He means well."

"He does, but unless you want him to snatch me out of my seat and twirl me around in a hug the next time he comes here, then please, feel free to tell him all about this."

Akali laughed at that, eventually making a motion of zipping her lips close.

They spent most of the following time in exchanging info about themselves, getting to know each other personally and depending more on what the other said. It was just like how Akali had opened up to Evelynn at first. It gave them both a chance to share some laughs and say a couple of things that got either of them blushing every now and then.

When the time came they finished their meals and Rakan swooped in to rid them of the empty dishes, they were soon served with the two desserts the blond had mentioned earlier. Akali took a short moment to admire the presentation of the matcha pudding in front of her before she turned to Rakan and flashed a thankful smile.

"Give my thanks to your friends. We appreciate the treat." Akali said, placing her hands together in front of her before bowing her head in thanks.

"It was our pleasure." Rakan replied with a bow of his own before he took his leave, leaving them both to enjoy their desserts.

When Akali turned back to her date, she found Evelynn intently eyeing the strawberries coated with rich chocolate on her plate. It's as if the treat before her was the most delicious dessert known to exist.

"Is... that a favorite of yours?" Akali asked, feeling amused when Evelynn was somewhat startled out of her reverie.

"Oh, they, ahem. They are." Evelynn answered with a small sheepish smile. She picked up one of the strawberries, making sure to dip it in the little cup on the side of the plate to add another layer of sweetness over the chocolate already layering the red fruit before offering it to Akali.

Akali perked up and leaned forward, taking a bite from the treat and making sure a bit of chocolate actually dripped either somewhere near the corner of her lips or her chin.

Why was she trying to make a little mess? 

Well, maybe because she sort of wanted to see how Evelynn would react when she sees it. Either that, or she might just look like a messy eater and merely end up on embarrassing herself in trying to reenact a typical cheesy scene from those romance movies.

Fortunately for her, Evelynn reacted in the way that she had hoped she would. Placing the fruit down, she reached forward and wiped the drop of chocolate dripping down on Akali's chin with a simple swipe of her index finger.

Akali tried passing off an innocent, little grin, but what she got was a quirk of an eyebrow and an amused smile. Instead of just wordlessly licking the chocolate she now had on the pad of her finger, Evelynn leaned back and maintained eye contact as she brought it up to her lips.

"I never pegged you to be the type to make _this _move." Evelynn said, tittering before a small part of her tongue stuck out and licked the chocolate off. "Very cliché, darling. Very cliché."

Akali would've grinned if it didn't mean she'd show chocolate-stained teeth at her companion, who's clearly been enjoying their date throughout the day.

Before they left the restaurant, Akali briefly excused herself from Evelynn and told her she just needed to use the restroom. She stood up and left the table, but not before she spied Rakan take her chair once he thought she was gone and had already entered the comfort room.

Judging from the wide grin on his face, Akali assumed he had questions for Evelynn. She couldn't help but remember her own friends and how they'd probably be as supportive as she would be to them when the time comes that she tells them about the recent developments between her and Evelynn.

When Akali finished her business and stepped out of the comfort room, hands feeling all warm due to the dryer she had used, there was someone leaning and waiting for her just right beside the door leading to the kitchen.

The woman possessed vibrant auburn hair, sun-kissed skin and rich cognac brown eyes that brightened more than its natural gleam once they met Akali's blue gaze. The former donned a chef's attire, which wordlessly prompted the artist to correctly assume that she's one of Olaf's creations, Leona.

Can't be Atreus, that's for sure.

"Akali." Leona greeted with a smile, taking a step towards her as she withdrew a paper from her pocket.

"Uh, hey. You must be Leona."

Leona hummed and nodded before she stretched a hand out, offering a folded parchment. "I still have a few more things to tend to, so I can't stay and talk for too long. But, Atreus asked me to give this to you."

Akali curiously eyed the paper, accepting it before she raised her gaze back up to the other woman, who was apparently _far _taller than her now that she wasn't leaning on the wall anymore. Might be unrelated, but she's pretty sure Leona is perfectly capable in knocking her lights out with a single punch.

"What's this?"

"It's Atreus' recipe for Evelynn's favorite chocolate-dipped strawberries." Leona said with a knowing smile. "Evelynn is quite _finicky _when it comes to how sweet the chocolate is, so Atreus made sure to be _extremely_ specific with the measurements he wrote."

"Oh, uh, thanks! Please tell him and Olaf thank you for the food. And, you, too. Rakan said you paid for the wine we drank."

Leona chuckled and waved it off. "It was my pleasure."

Akali and Leona bid each other goodbye before the former finally returned to her date, who was quick to shoo a snickering Rakan from the table. The artist had to withhold a laugh when she saw Rakan attempt in _'stealing'_ Evelynn's Ossia plushie, which earned him a playful swat on the arm from the goddess herself.

"Ready to go, darling?" Evelynn asked once Akali reached the table.

"Yep."

The two of them left the restaurant and were soon riding a bus back to their apartment. With the mild traffic that greeted them on their way home, it gave them the opportunity to have a little moment between the two of them in the bus.

While Akali sat at the aisle seat, Evelynn was situated right beside a window, where the city lights they passed reflected and beamed through. With the entire day being filled with excitement at the amusement park and the sweet and fun memories they've made, the two women were honestly spent.

Regardless of thinking of the comfort of her bed, Akali was too focused on the warmth pressed against her side. Evelynn had her head laid on her left shoulder, her arm draped around the woman's shoulders and allowing her to snuggle against her. Despite being in a more than comfortable position, she felt a bit envious of the plushie Evelynn was loosely embracing in her arms.

Throughout the bus ride that they spent in silence, they relished each other's quiet yet soothing company. Thinking about how physically close she was in that moment and how comfortable she felt being able to hold Evelynn like that, Akali couldn't help but internally scoff to herself with how hers and Evelynn's relationship had drastically evolved.

Soon, they were getting off the bus and were riding the elevator up to their floor. They were actually an adorable sight to see. The two of them acted as if they didn't just exchange keychain bottles with one another and Akali hadn't won a Little Legend stuff toy for Evelynn.

Akali was the one who mostly shied away. She was trying to think of a way on how she'll give their date an impressionable end. Too focused in doing the latter, Akali nearly jumped in surprise when Evelynn broke the silence at the same time they stepped out of the elevator.

"Akali."

"Hai?" Akali immediately responded back, head turning to face the other.

"Next time, maybe _I_ can plan our date."

"Next time?" Akali asked with mildly wide eyes. "Uh, yeah, yeah! Sure! I'd love that."

Both of them stopped right in front of the doors of their apartments, facing one another instead of just entering their homes.

Akali still had no clue on how she'll say goodbye to Evelynn. She thought about just bidding her good night, but that was too... _lacking_. She didn't want to be sound so formal and distant.

Just when she and Evelynn were about to utter something, the loud sound of her phone vibrating reached their ears. With how quiet it was at the hallway, it's no surprise the mere vibration of her phone was so clear and audible.

Based from the continuous buzzing, it was a call.

"I think you should answer that." Evelynn decided to say to not let the awkward silence settle too long.

"Yeah..." Akali sighed, digging for her phone while she kept her gaze trained on Evelynn. "So, good nigh...-"

Before she could finish, she was once again interrupted. This time though, the interruption was a soft kiss on the cheek from the amber-eyed woman, who smiled tenderly at her once she retracted.

"I almost forgot about your prize."

A smile immediately curved up on Akali's lips as she watched Evelynn offer a smile at her before she spun around and unlocked her apartment.

"Good night, Evelynn. Sweet dreams."

"You, too, darling. I hope you sleep well."

Simple may their parting be, Akali felt uncharacteristically giddy as she herself entered her unit. She closed the door and placed her back against it as she gave a content sigh. The rush it gave her and how it prompted her heart to pick up was just _wondrous._

Akali laughed to herself as she pushed herself off the door, which clicked after she swiftly locked it.

"Why am I so smitten with her all of a sudden?"

Shaking her head, she redirected her attention to her phone, which she lifted up. The call from earlier had ended, but her lack of answer didn't deter the caller from calling for the second time.

Even with everything that had happened, it wasn't enough to keep her smile and mood intact, especially when she saw the name on the screen of her phone.

It was her sister, Faey.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Yayyyy! I finally finished this one after so many delays! Like my usual tradition, I upload a chapter of a story I'm working on or write a one-shot for you readers whenever it's my birthday, so here's my birthday treat for all of you! ^u^ 
> 
> I hope you readers enjoyed Akali and Evelynn's date and the cute, little moments in this chapter. I know it took so long, but I hope it was worth the wait. :D
> 
> I'll try to make a dent on my NSFW Akalynn prompts as well. Hopefully, Prompt 14 will soon be uploaded, and hopefully, Prompt 15 will follow. ^^
> 
> Also, pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but if any of you want to see some sneak peeks of my future and current works or just want to talk and maybe play some games, just check out and hit me up on Twitter! I've been more active there lately. :)
> 
> Anyway, till my next update, everyone~


	11. Chapter 11

**ACT 11**

Whenever people claimed that they sometimes feel like the whole world was just crumbling around them when they go through something really serious, Akali always thought it was an exaggeration.

Realizing that she was actually open to being in a relationship with a woman didn't even give her an ounce of worry. What her parents thought about it? No, she didn't care, nor was she going to start now.

Pursuing her dreams in becoming an illustrator in the gaming company she always dreamt in working at and going against what her parents initially planned for her, yes, it made her nervous and a bit unsure of herself, but it never did stop her.

Akali didn't hesitate in telling her mother and father that she yearned to do a different profession. Although her father was nice enough to be supportive of her career choice, her mother wasn't. Especially after what she had done and how it affected her sister's own career.

There's a reason why Akali left Ionia. A reason why, despite feeling so lonely in Valoran, she still stayed at the big city and continued on fulfilling her dreams.

Yes, it's lonely and the embrace of an empty residence was just depressing, but Akali felt like it was best.

She misses her family. She misses her father's words of encouragement and never-ending support. Even with her mother's neglect and anger towards her past wrongdoing, she still missed her.

As for Faey...

Akali always did possess mixed feelings about her adoptive sibling. It's the reason why she always avoided thinking about her and her family. She may be Tahno and Mayym's biological daughter, but it never did feel like that after Faey's parents died from a home invasion incident.

Her father gave her more than a handful of attention, yes, but her mother? She treated Faey more like a daughter than she did to Akali.

Even when Faey's parents were alive, Akali was always compared to the older girl and how she's everything she's not and what her mother wants. But now, with the situation that had come to light, all this running Akali was doing had to stop.

Tahno, her beloved, ever-supportive father, had a stroke.

Faey called her last night and told her about it. Their call was as formal and tense as Akali expected it to be, but she was still thankful to know that her father is still alive and currently has a stable condition.

Regardless, Akali needed to go back home to personally see how her father is.

With this in particular on her mind, Akali decided to drown herself with work and complete as much tasks as she could. Even her injured hand didn't stop her from doing _something. _She never had the need to ask for a leave in her workplace since weekdays are always free, so she wasn't sure if it's alright to ask for a few days off.

Maybe it was, but she wasn't so sure due to the fact that she's in the middle of a project. Vayne personally told her and her other colleagues that they needed to start working faster with their projects if they actually want them to be incorporated in the game.

That, and they also needed to work on some other stages in the game that required all of them to synchronize the backstories of their characters. Not to mention the incomplete coloring of the models of different versions of said characters, there's just so many to do.

Akali asked Senna for advice about the whole leave thing, and the latter recommended that she gets Vayne's permission. If she were to acquire that, then it'll be enough to give her at least a whole week leave. After all, their leader would be vouching for her if she succeeds with her request.

Now in order to accomplish what was mentioned, Akali busied herself for two whole days. She didn't even think about playing a game or two when she's at home with the video game console she got from Evelynn.

For two whole days, she worked her butt off and focused on nothing but work.

Which, of course, left Evelynn to handle her own daily job and concern herself with the lack of communication from her creator.

Admittedly, anyone would be worried about what someone thought about them. Especially if that someone was the same person they just went out on a date with and had supposedly experienced the time of their lives throughout a whole day, only to receive not a single message or phone call from them.

Evelynn knew she had given Akali her number ever since she got it in the first place. They've also exchanged text messages concerning groceries in the past, so she's certain her creator has her number.

But the question remains, why was Akali not contacting her?

"Calm down, Evelynn. Maybe she's just busy."

Early in the morning and the sun hadn't even completely risen, yet the goddess can be found already at _Lokfar_ with a couple of friends of hers. They had gathered at the restaurant to have a bit of an emergency meeting before the joint officially opens since Evelynn herself had contacted them and expressed her worries through the text messages she had sent.

For the past fifteen to twenty minutes, Evelynn has been telling them how their date went and how she was now worried about Akali's lack of contact. Even though they live literally right across each other, she never thought about knocking and checking in on the artist. She was afraid she might disturb her.

At one table set up in front of her, Atreus and Leona can be found settled on their own chairs and patiently listening to Evelynn venting out her concerns. Beside the trio's table was a couple, one with bright cerulean blue eyes and one with emerald green orbs.

"You said it yourself, Evelynn. You and Akali seemed to have enjoyed your date." Ashe said, hand reaching to her shoulder to adjust the perch of her napping creator's head. She was one of the handful of creations in the area that was willing to get up so early just to have a talk with the goddess, and her red-haired girlfriend insisted she drives her to their rendezvous location despite only having two hours worth of sleep. "What's there to worry about?"

"She's worrying because Akali hasn't texted back yet, huh?"

Everyone spun around to turn to the entrance of the supposedly still-closed restaurant, finding Lucian walking in with two trays containing cups of hot coffee.

"Great, Lucian's here." Atreus spoke with a gesture to the said man. "Has Senna told you anything about Akali?"

Lucian distributed the cups of coffee to them first, including Evelynn, who looked like she needed it the most, before he pulled up a chair beside Ashe.

"I just want to say first that it's nice to be in a little gathering like this." Lucian said, glancing at his fellow creations. "We don't always have time for this, after all."

"Why not choose a much later time for gatherings?" Came a grumble from the redhead that's trying her hardest to nap comfortably on Ashe's shoulder. "You creations are crazy."

"Why are you even here anyway?" Evelynn asked with a small glare directed at Katarina, who merely glared back at her through the red strands on her face. "I asked for Ashe, not for you."

Ashe reacted swiftly and gave her lover a light pat on the cheek, wordlessly telling her to just let it go and stick with her attempts in finding a comfortable position to try taking a quick nap.

"Gatherings aside," Leona began, deciding to redirect them back to the initial topic of discussion before Evelynn and Katarina started butting heads. "Lucian, please tell us you know something about Akali. Something that would ease Evelynn's nerves here."

Lucian decided to finally spare Evelynn the suffering she was going through, turning to face her and saying, "Alright. As all of you know, Senna and I always talk about things happening at work every end of the day. Yesterday, she mentioned that one of her colleagues, Akali, has been taking on a lot of work."

"Why?" Evelynn asked, her concern evident in her eyes and tone. "Please tell me she's not pushing herself too hard."

"I don't really know much if she's pushing herself or not," Lucian replied with an apologetic look. "but Senna did say she's been doing those things to be on their team leader's good side. Something about work leave."

"Why don't you check on her later, Evelynn?" Atreus asked with a gesture of his hand. "I can only think of two reasons why she's so determined for that leave."

"And what may those reasons be?"

"Maybe she wants to spend more time with you?" Leona suggested, supported by Ashe, who nodded in addition.

"Or maybe there's something really important she has to go to?" Katarina, Ashe's creator, reasonably contributed to the conversation, seemingly giving up in trying to steal a few more minutes of sleep. "I did the same thing when my ex got into a bad fight and was rushed to the hospital. Since he lived outside the country, I had to request a few days leave just to visit and check up on him."

Even though Ashe didn't even say anything or looked remotely fazed with what the redhead said, Katarina immediately snapped her head to look at her when she realized what she was talking about.

"Not that I miss him or anything! I just remembered what I did when we were still a thing." Katarina defended herself, not wanting to make her girlfriend jealous. "This Akali girl Evelynn's with might be experiencing the same thing, but maybe with a family member or something. I swear, I don't miss Garen. He's with Fiora now, and I'm with you. I...-"

"Alright, now, it's _your_ turn to calm down." Atreus started, both he, Leona and Lucian looking amused with how her cranky, rude mask fell upon the thought of upsetting her girlfriend. "We're sure Ashe here isn't as much of a jealous type as Evelynn and Morgana are."

Ashe merely flashed a small yet understanding smile at Katarina before she stood up and approached Evelynn, putting a halt to the fidgeting of the siren by placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Just check on Akali later tonight. Knock on her door once she gets home and have a little talk." Ashe advised with a tender smile. "With how much you two have been progressing with your relationship and if Akali really is going through something, I'm pretty sure she'd appreciate the support and comfort you'll be able to give her."

_ **Beep! Beep!** _

All eyes turned to Atreus, who checked his wristwatch once it gave a little alarm. He got up from his chair and offered a hand to Leona as he said, "I'm going to pick up Morgana for breakfast today. Leona? Evelynn?"

Leona shook her head, but nonetheless accepted the hand that helped her up. "Evelynn and I promised Olaf we'll be setting up early for him today. We'll have our breakfast later, so you can go ahead."

"And that's our cue to leave." Katarina murmured hastily, tugging at Ashe's wrist and practically dragging her towards the door.

"Just remember, Evelynn. Talk to her." Ashe said as her lover tugged at her. "Don't just assume, alright?"

Evelynn sighed and nodded, waving goodbye at them. Lucian gave her an encouraging pat on the back before he also took his leave with Atreus and the others, which then left Evelynn with Leona. Once the front door closed and she and the other chef were left alone in the restaurant, another sigh left her lips before she turned to face the brown-eyed woman.

"That wasn't much of a gathering." Evelynn murmured, sipping from her coffee, only to hiss sharply when she burned the tip of her tongue.

"Well, we did just listen to you worry on and on about you possibly crossing Akali's boundaries when you kissed her on the cheek." Leona lightly joked, bumping Evelynn on the hip before proceeding to put down the tables and chairs.

"Did I really?" Evelynn asked, trailing after Leona. "Is a kiss on the cheek too intimate?"

"Evelynn, it's just a kiss on the cheek. Besides," Leona placed the chair she was holding down before turning to offer a smile at her. "Akali made you a confident woman, didn't she? Where's all that confidence now?"

"You know as much as the next person that Akali is my weakness." Evelynn murmured lowly, hiding the face she was making behind the cup of coffee she was now holding with both of her hands. "I just want everything between us to be okay. To have what you have."

"Ah-ah! You mean what the _others_ have." Leona corrected, wagging a finger at her. "I myself have no luck in the romance department, nor do I seem to be getting any anytime soon."

"No one has caught your eye? Not even one?" Evelynn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well... There _was_ one." Leona said, smiling to herself before she shook her head and gave Evelynn a half-hearted look. "We are _not_ discussing that now. Let's focus on your relationship with your creator."

Evelynn suppressed her third sigh, turning around and noisily dragging one of the chairs with her. She knew that Leona knew she's doing it on purpose, but a little scolding look from the woman wouldn't kill her.

"What if she's too tired later?" Evelynn queried once she finished moving the chair to its rightful place. "Is later really a good time?"

Leona shrugged. "You wouldn't know until you try, Eve. It's much better to do something rather than nothing."

"I suppose you have a point."

"Also, I'm sure you won't be able to last any more days without calling Vi and have her launch an investigation for whatever's troubling Akali."

Evelynn frowned. "I'm not _that _extra now, am I?"

Leona only gave her a knowing, amused look, which made her huff and prompted her to turn away and finally lend her assistance in setting up the chairs and tables.

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

"Whoa. Slow down down there."

Akali held back her sigh once Senna stepped in front of her and placed both of her hands on her shoulders, stopping her from making a mad dash towards her workstation after taking a quick bathroom break. She made a face at the older woman, who merely smiled back at her.

"Something you need, Senna?" She asked as politely as she could, her impatience ringing in her voice.

"Not from someone who's clearly been working in _and_ out of this building." Senna said with a brief gesture to the shadows under Akali's tired-looking eyes. She then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and chose to led her to the break room. "Is this all because of the leave?"

Akali nodded, sighing again when she realized that she must look like a mess right now. "Yeah. I need to see Otou-san as soon as I can. I'm really worried about him."

"Listen. You've done a lot of things already for the past two days. Among the four of you, you're in the lead and Shauna already noticed."

"She did?"

"Uh-huh. I suggest you just finish the last character model, which last I checked, is already more than halfway finished." Senna said, giving her shoulder a light shake. "After that, go and ask for the leave from Shauna."

"I heard from QiQi that she's not that much of a good mood though."

"She isn't."

Akali visibly slackened. "If you're trying to boost my confidence here, it's not working."

Senna chuckled. "Just saying the truth, Kali. Shauna has her own problems to deal with and with what she told me and Yas the other day, it's just this thing about her roommate, so she's probably just touchy because of lack of sleep."

"Then, should I ask for my leave today or not?"

"Today. Ask for it today, because if this thing with her goes on, she might ask her _own_ leave and you'll miss your chance."

"Oh, okay, okay. Thanks, Senna." Akali nodded and flashed a small thankful smile before she tried rushing off, only to be withheld by Senna's firm grip.

"Ah-ah-ah! I bought some food earlier, so go and have your break first _before_ you go do your work."

"But, Senna!"

"No buts. Let's go."

Underneath all the reluctance she presented, it actually felt nice taking a break from all the work. Once she finished eating her share of snacks, she practically chugged the can of soda she bought from the vending machine and bid her quick goodbye to her colleague before finally returning to her workstation.

Feeling more invigorated than she was previously, Akali soon immersed herself with her work once again. She diligently handled every little detail with her project, and by the time she finished, it was already around five in the afternoon.

Stretching her arms up in the air and doing a couple of twists to dispel the knots in her shoulders, Akali pushed herself away from the table and left her table, folder in hand. Now, she just needed to head to Vayne's own workstation to finally ask the leave she's been working for.

When she did get to their team leader's desk, all she found was Yasuo, who had just placed a USB on the table with a note attached to it. The department head quirked an eyebrow at her, his eyes landing on the file Akali was holding.

"That your design?" Yasuo asked, gesturing before pushing his hand in his pocket.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Have you seen Miss Vayne?"

"Shauna?" Yasuo turned and nodded his head over to where the conference room can be found. "She's in there."

"Is she talking to someone?"

"Some blonde girl dropped by earlier. Think it was her roommate or something."

"Oh, alright. I'll just wait for her, then."

"You finally gonna ask for that leave?" Yasuo asked with a small knowing smile.

Akali gave a sheepish smile. "Yeah. It's Tou-san. He's in the hospital back at Ionia, so I was hoping I could take a leave for a couple of days to visit him."

"Well, from what I heard, Shauna might leave early because of this thing with her roommate, so come on." Yasuo slung an arm over Akali's shoulder and led her to the conference room.

"Uhh, I don't think she's going to like it if we interrupt...-" Akali was cut off with a simple wave and scoff from the man.

"Don't worry 'bout it. Me and Senna go way back with Shauna, remember?" Yasuo gave Akali a poke on the side, flashing a little grin. "She won't get mad if _I'm _the one who does the interrupting."

"Well, yeah, but...-"

Before Akali could finish, Yasuo knocked thrice at one of the wooden doors, calling out to Vayne before nodding to himself and opening one of the panels. He didn't even bother waiting for an invitation.

Once the door was open...

"What is it, Yasuo?" Came Shauna's firm query.

"Little Akali here has something to tell you." Yasuo said with an innocent grin before pushing Akali into the room. "Anyway, ciao."

The soft slam of the door echoed in the room and Akali nearly jumped at the sound of it. She pursed her lips for a few seconds before smiling sheepishly at Shauna and the blonde-haired woman she seemed to have been talking to initially.

"Well?" Shauna's one-word question broke the tense silence in the room, eyes narrowing through the red glasses she always wore.

"I..." The blonde cleared her throat and gave a nervous laugh. "I'm gonna go."

"No." Shauna immediately objected, turning to pointedly look at her roommate before nodding to one of the chairs. "Sit down and wait right there, Luxanna."

The girl, Luxanna, nodded and mumbled under her breath before settling on the nearest seat. Shauna then turned and started towards Akali, stopping only a couple of steps away from the illustrator. She crossed her arms and eyed the younger woman, foot tapping impatiently.

"Oh, uh... I printed some images of the models I completed. You told me to give them to you once I'm done, right?"

"I did." Shauna held her hand out and Akali was quick to give her the folder. "I'm assuming what comes next is you asking for a few days off."

Akali stared owlishly. "You knew?"

"Mm-hm. Senna told me the reason why earlier." Shauna replied, eyes scanning through the folder she now had open in her arms. "I'll talk to HR about it. Since you've completed most of your workload ahead of schedule, I can vouch for you."

"You will?"

Shauna raised her head, raising an eyebrow at her. Akali straightened, coughing in her hand and shifting from her place before nodding and offering a hopeful smile at her team leader.

"About the leave...-"

"Hmm." Shauna hummed with a nod, her hand stopped at one of the printed images before she refocused her gaze on Akali. "These works still don't have backgrounds."

"Ah, well...-"

"Do you already have something in mind?"

"...Not yet, no."

"Alright then, do you mind if I have someone else pitch me a couple of concepts for the background art?"

Akali perked up, shaking her head instantly. "Not at all!"

Shauna looked like she was deeply contemplating for a few seconds there before she nodded once again and waved dismissively at Akali. "I'll have someone work on some drafts for the backgrounds while you're gone."

"That's a yes, then?"

"Luxanna," Shauna called out, turning to face the roommate that was anxiously waiting at the other end of the table. "your schedule for the week is free, isn't it?"

"Yeah, why?" Lux responded with a tilt of her head.

"You think you can give me a few drafts of backgrounds? Forests, cities, barren wastelands, things of that sort."

Lux nodded. "I can do those stuff."

"Good." Shauna returned her focus to Akali, saying, "It's a yes. Now, go and file your leave. I'll handle the rest with the HR Manager."

Akali couldn't help but let a wide and thankful smile appear on her face once she finally received the permission she's been hoping to get for the past few days. She nodded and bowed briefly. "Thank you so much, Miss Vayne!"

When she received another dismissive wave from the woman, Akali finally spun around to take her leave and to give back the privacy Vayne and her roommate had before she and Yasuo had intervened earlier.

Before she could fully take her departure, she halted halfway through the door when Shauna called her name. Turning her head and looking back to the said woman, she asked, "Yes, Miss Vayne?"

"You'll be flying to Ionia, right?"

"Yeah, I will be."

Shauna's lips parted to utter a query, yet it remained unspoken. She shook her head and settled on turning away and walking back to where her roommate was, which wordlessly dismissed Akali. Clearly, she had deemed whatever it was she she originally intended on asking unnecessary.

Akali was on her way back to her desk when she felt her phone continuously vibrate in her pocket, indicating there was a call. Withdrawing the gadget from its place, Akali shortly froze and just stared at the screen with wide eyes.

It was Evelynn.

"Shit." Akali cussed at herself under her breath, slapping a hand on her face before she swiped and placed the phone against her right ear. If only Evelynn was there, she'd immediately know that Akali had forgotten all about her because of how she had swamped herself with work. "Evelynn?"

"Hey." Was Evelynn's softly-uttered greeting. "I hope I'm not bothering you at work right now."

"What? No, no! You aren't, trust me." Akali reassured in an instant. "Actually, I'm glad you called right now."

"You are?" Just by the tone of Evelynn's voice, it made it clear to Akali how the goddess was surprised.

"Yeah..." Akali rubbed her nape, feeling sheepish as she said, "I'm really sorry for not calling, or even shooting you a text after our date."

"Oh, no, darling, you don't have to explain yourself to me." Evelynn said, shaking her head from the other line. "I understand that you have things to do and probably problems to work out, so I wasn't worried."

Akali gave a sigh of relief at that. She reached her workstation, plopping down on her chair while she continued her phone call with the siren. She came to a decision to tease Evelynn though. "You sure you weren't worried?"

"...Actually, I was." Evelynn surprisingly admitted, her tone of embarrassment enough to let Akali envision her blushing face. "I've been freaking out, honestly. I've been worrying about how your hand is and if it's recovered already. And, I thought I might've crossed the line at one point of our date and that you were probably just being nice enough in not saying anything."

Akali blinked to herself for a moment, the memory of Evelynn crying fleeting across her mind, which then prompted her to shoot off her seat and speak in a volume much louder than necessary.

"Our date was awesome! It was great! And I really enjoyed it!" Akali's reassurances fell from her lips one after another, her honesty towards the day they spent together completely laying itself out in the open.

When Akali realized that she practically announced to the people around her that she had an amazing date a couple of days ago, her face was already visibly red. She spied Ekko peeking over from his place, wiggling his eyebrows at her, which presented a wordless promise for a whole bunch of teasing later on.

Behind him, Qiyana and Kayn can be found just returning from their break room. Judging from their faces, it was obvious they heard everything. The two of them exchanged looks and flashed mischievous grins at Akali, who then sank back to her seat and swiped an empty folder to use as a cover for her face.

"Uhh, Evelynn? Can we... talk later? I need to do some damage control here."

"Oh, of course! I was actually calling to ask if we could do that after work."

"Just... Just know that I really enjoyed our date, okay? You didn't do anything wrong, so don't worry too much about it."

"Alright, darling."

"Let's go home together later? I'll pick you up at your work. What time does your shift end?"

"That'd be lovely, Akali. The schedule today is hectic though, so it might be around nine or ten."

"I'll be there around nine, then."

"I'll see you later, then."

"Yeah. See you."

_ **Click!** _

Akali hunched in her seat and hesitantly lowered the folder she had in hand once she placed her phone on her desk, immediately spotting her three colleagues peering into her workstation, gleams of mischief in their eyes. Qiyana glided in and settled at the vacant swivel chair, while Ekko and Kayn idled at the entrance of the fairly wide cubicle.

"Evelynn, huh?" Ekko started, grinning. "Is _she _the inspiration you told me about?"

"Shut up."

"You're dating Lucian's friend, Akali," Qiyana pointed out. "so don't expect us to _not_ tease you about it."

"And you guys say _I_ move fast." Kayn spoke up, chuckling as he joined in on the jesting. "Akali's the fast one here."

"She has taste though. We've all seen Evelynn, right? She's gorgeous." Qiyana said with a gesture in the air. "And Akali, we didn't know you guys were dating."

Akali huffed out a breath, shooting a glare at each of the three. "I hate you guys so much right now."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Donning a form-fitting, off-shoulder black dress with half sleeves and a simple pair of black stilettos, Evelynn led the umpteenth customer they've had in the restaurant to their reserved table. Like always, she offered her dazzling smiles at the people she interacted with, clearly not needing to use her charming ability to make them feel at ease.

Once she had a waiter attending to the couple she had just shown to a table, her eyes were quick to dart at the entrance of the restaurant. Though there were no one at the front, a flicker of anxiety fleeted across her face before she managed to mask it completely and return to her duties as the _maître d'hôtel_. 

A glance at the clock hanging on the wall beside her station told her it has only been five minutes after nine, so Akali still had ample time to arrive at the place without being considered late.

Despite such though, Evelynn couldn't seem to keep herself relaxed. She was feeling too eager to be picked up by her creator. Even though it's only been a few days ever since they last saw each Other, Evelynn had already missed Akali.

Returning to her station at the entrance, Evelynn picked up the pen beside the booklet of reservations and scanned any more possible customers that may walk in any minute now.

When she did finish checking the list, her gaze wandered and ended up absently staring at the written names she had already checked. If someone were to look closely, they'd easily notice how Evelynn was becoming absorbed by her thoughts and was obviously thinking of something or _someone_ else.

Evelynn blinked, shaking her head once when she realized she was spacing out. Feeling sheepish yet maintaining her professional face and aura, Evelynn turned away from her podium and began walking around the dining area to start another one of her frequent rounds.

A couple of seconds after the goddess started, a certain artist strode inside the restaurant, all huddled in a coat and wearing a cap that barely kept her hair from naturally puffing out. With how casually-dressed she was, she stuck out like a sore thumb in the vicinity.

Pushing the tip of the cap up in the slightest bit, Akali narrowed her eyes while her lips unconsciously pursed as she let her gaze sweep across the dining area in search of her creation. Her eyes would dart from one waiter to another, trying to find Evelynn, who she assumed was dressed in an attire similar to their white tops and black pants or skirts.

Upon finding the siren though, Akali's eyes widened evidently.

Evelynn can be found tending to a long table, where a couple of men and women clad in business attires seemed to be celebrating a success at work. Before Akali could notice other meager details, she took a moment to survey Evelynn's outfit for tonight.

Simple it may be, its plain look surely complimented Evelynn's figure quite nicely. It wasn't too tight or too loose. It also gave Akali a chance to admire not only those long legs of hers, but the smooth, flawless shoulders that were exposed for anyone to see as well.

Akali had to swallow the lump in her throat before she caught some movement from one of the occupants of the table. It was surprisingly one of the women, specifically the one nearest to where Evelynn stood. She was saying something to Evelynn, while her hand wandered to seemingly stroke Evelynn's arm.

It took Akali a reasonable amount of effort to stop herself from marching towards the scene playing out before her. She stopped her own actions not because she didn't want to make a scene, but because Evelynn handled the situation professionally.

Evelynn offered a polite smile, which she used to distract the people at the table when she shifted and stepped away from the woman that was trying to make a pass at her. Once she gave a small nod of what seemed to be farewell, she finally turned away and moved to the next table.

Akali released the breath she was apparently holding, feeling awfully relieved that she didn't need to step in. Knowing Evelynn was still busy with her work, Akali decided to just wait at one of the chairs near the entrance. She didn't mind, since she could still watch Evelynn work from where she's settled.

Observing the siren interact with customers effortlessly and give out smiles that looked charming as ever, Akali didn't see all the waiting she's doing as a waste of time. Though she initially envisioned Evelynn wearing a suit at work, seeing her in a dress wasn't so bad either.

Eventually, Evelynn finished her rounds and once she did, she made her way to the entrance of the restaurant with the intention of turning the _'Open' _sign to _'Closed' _after she received an order from Olaf, who had peeked from the kitchen a moment ago.

Of course she didn't miss the young woman sitting at the waiting area.

"Akali." Evelynn greeted with a fond smile, giving her shoulder a brief squeeze before walking past her. She turned the sign at the door around, returning to her station afterwards. Since the latter was literally right beside the waiting chairs, it easily gave her and Akali a chance to talk among themselves with a fair amount of privacy. "Were you waiting long?"

Akali shook her head, flashing a small reassuring smile. "Just got here a couple of minutes ago, so nope."

"It'll probably take the customers at least half an hour or so to finish their meals, so I'll only be able to leave after they do." Evelynn said with an apologetic look. "I hope you don't mind waiting again."

"Nah, it's fine."

"You sure? You can go home first if you want."

"No, no, I'll wait, 'cause..." Akali shifted on her seat, right hand removing her cap from her head. "...I really need to talk to you about something important."

"Should I be worried?" Evelynn asked, looking apprehensive.

Akali replied with a reassuring smile, head shaking once. "No, not really. This thing we need to talk about is more about what I'm going to do in the next few days. It's about my family, actually."

"Oh, I see."

"And," Akali then backtracked, her smile turning into something brighter than before. "I also want to say to you personally that... I really, really, _really_ enjoyed our date."

"Really?"

"Mm-hm. I enjoyed it to the point that I ended up shouting that I did at work." Akali lightly laughed to herself as she recalled how her colleagues kept teasing her throughout the day.

"Mind telling me all about your day, then?"

Akali feigned contemplating Evelynn's request, head tilting left and right before she flashed a little grin and patted the chair at her right.

"Only if you'd sit here with me."

Evelynn smiled. "It'd be a pleasure."

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

Exiting the bus and walking the rest of the way home, Akali and Evelynn let themselves be absorbed in their discussion on what clothing would fit either of them better. They seem to be both in agreement when it comes to Akali wearing a suit in events or places that required her to do so.

As for Evelynn, Akali refused to give up the image of the goddess clad in a suit that would no doubt make her look as sexy as she knew she'd be. She was still hoping that she would one day witness the time Evelynn dons that particular outfit.

They were riding the elevator up to their floor by the time their conversation shifted towards their plans for their dinner, which they have yet to have despite the time already nearing eleven o'clock.

"What will you be having for dinner?" Evelynn asked as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open at their floor.

"Oh, just some leftovers."

"Leftovers?"

Akali gave a sheepish smile, scratching the back of her head as she and Evelynn stepped out of the lift. "Yeah, and by leftovers, I mean instant noodles."

The look she received from Evelynn showed clear disapproval towards her meal choice and Akali knew she couldn't blame her. From the very beginning, Evelynn may respect her fondness to spicy ramyun, but she never did like it when it's always her food every single time she ate at home.

"As appetizing as that sounds," Evelynn began with a tone that obviously said otherwise. "I think the lasagna I got from the restaurant would be a much better meal for dinner."

Akali half-heartedly made a face. "Are you bragging that you get to eat some fancy pasta while I only have ramyun?"

Evelynn chuckled before lifting up the paper bag she had in hand. "More like I'm inviting you to share my dinner with me at my apartment."

Upon hearing that, Akali perked up. "Sounds great." 

Giving a nod and a rather cute smile as Evelynn withdrew her keys and unlocked her apartment door, they both soon stepped into the siren's abode. Akali was immediately _'ordered' _to wait at the living room while Evelynn herself said she'll get them some forks from the kitchen.

A couple of minutes later, they were settled at Evelynn's couch, which was smaller than the one Akali had in her apartment, which prompted them both to sit close to one another. Of course they had no complaints whatsoever.

The two of them were halfway done with the tray of lasagna when Akali decided to take initiative and break the silence between them. She knew they had a lot to talk about, and before she could bring up their date or the reason why she needed to leave the city for a while, the memory of her finding Evelynn's sketch crossed her mind.

"Hey, I think I know the reason why you might've done what you did, but I guess there's this part of me that wants to make sure."

Evelynn tilted her head for a moment, one eyebrow raising in mild confusion. "What're you talking about?"

Akali handed the tray of pasta to the goddess before she picked up her bag from the floor. It took her a while, but she eventually found the folded sketch Evelynn had once crumpled. When she withdrew the paper and showed it to the other woman, it was apparently enough to somehow surprise Evelynn.

"You still have that?" Evelynn asked, following up another question before Akali could answer the first one. "How'd you even get it? From what I remember, I took that with me when I left."

"I have my reasons. And, I also have a couple of questions about this one."

"Alright, what are those questions, then?"

Akali idly waved the paper around, asking, "Why'd you crumple it?"

Although she was already expecting that question in particular, Evelynn still found herself feeling more than a little embarrassed, but thankfully, she managed to remain absolutely calm.

"...I was angry." Evelynn confessed, unable to meet Akali's gaze. "When I thought you and Kayn had kissed, I felt like everything was just so unfair to me."

Akali may not have winced, but she sure was so close in doing so. She was just lucky enough to stop herself.

Evelynn gave a half-hearted bitter laugh, head shaking. "I knew I had no right to be so angry..."

"But you did. You had a reason." Akali said, knowing full well why Evelynn indeed reserve the right to be furious that time. "I can't really blame you. I mean, I did make you fall in love with me. Even before you actually existed."

"Yet you weren't mine at the time. I was just a friend, therefore, I had no right to be so... _displeased_." Evelynn said, her lips curling in a frown for a moment. She dispelled it with a shake of her head, gesturing at the paper Akali held. "Unfortunately, that paper suffered because of it."

"Didn't it hurt you?" 

"What did?"

"You crumpling the paper. It's the sketch I made of you, after all."

Evelynn gave a lightly chortled at that. "Actually, ever since you started to believe that I am indeed real, that paper slowly became nothing but a remembrance of how I came to be."

"Is that why you took it? Not that I mind that you did."

She nodded, absently poking at the pasta in the tray she was holding. "I've had it ever since you wanted me to leave you alone. It's what kept me from disappearing."

"Wait, this paper..." Akali's gaze briefly wandered to the parchment she held before her focus returned to her creation. "This was what kept you alive?"

Again, Evelynn nodded. "When you refused to believe I was real, the only proof that I am is the sketch you made of me. It was my lifeline until you finally accepted that I really do exist."

"If I didn't and something happened to this paper..." Akali took in a breath before continuing with, "...would you have disappeared?"

"...I would have."

It was a short reply, but it was enough to make her give out an audible exhale. She felt her self-frustration build up within her, and she tried her hardest to not let it get to her. She and Evelynn hadn't even talked about her plans for her trip back home yet here she was, already feeling stressed with herself.

"Now that I'm here though... With you, I mean. If anything happens to this paper, will you still disappear?"

Evelynn's lips shaped into a gentle smile. She abandoned her fork on the tray, reaching out with her free hand and caressing Akali's cheek. "I'm here to stay, Akali. As long as you _truly_ want me to be here, then I'll never leave."

Akali didn't know how it was possible, but that simple but straightforward reassurance was enough to vanquish all the tension that had built up within her. "That's... good to know."

"In fact, you can tear, burn or throw that paper away now and I'd still be here." Evelynn said, nodding towards the sketch before she retracted her hand and picked up her fork again.

"No way." Akali refused with a little smile, storing the paper back in her bag. "I'm keeping it."

"Why? It's just a drawing."

"You said it yourself, Evelynn. It's a remembrance."

"Aww, darling, I didn't think you're the sentiment type." Came Evelynn's little jest.

"Of course you wouldn't think of it," Akali said before giving her a nudge. "'cause you already know I am, don't you?"

Evelynn let a smirk slip, and honestly, Akali liked the sight of it. "It's nice to see you're getting used to me."

For a quiet moment, the two of them just gazed at one another, their faces literally right across one another. It gave Akali the opportunity to notice the black flecks in the rich amber hues the goddess before her possessed. They were _bewitching_.

"You have beautiful eyes."

Evelynn's smirk threatened to widen, but instead of a flirty comeback, she said, "The lasagna's getting cold."

"...Are you purposely ruining the mood?"

"Maybe."

Akali intentionally gave a loud groan when she pulled back, retaking her eating utensil and taking a forkful of the cheesy pasta. With a somewhat full mouth, Akali said, "I hate you."

Evelynn tittered, winking. "I wouldn't be me if I don't tease you every once in a while, right?"

"Guess so..."

They both finished their dinner, especially since Akali knew Evelynn might use that as an excuse again when they become absorbed into their talk again. When they finally finished and were left to just nurse their glasses of water, Akali decided to bring up what she really needed to say to her creation.

"Evelynn, I know you and I still have a lot of things to talk about, especially this relationship thing between us, so I'm just going to say it now. We can't really talk about all of that now, because I need to leave for a few days."

Evelynn's eyebrows furrowed. "Where are you going?"

Akali knew it'd be such a pain to explain her past with her family, precisely because she didn't like talking about it, but then she remembered how Evelynn knows practically _everything _about her, including her past. Maybe this wouldn't be much of a hassle in explaining after all.

"You know my... relationship with my family, right? Specifically with _Okaa-san_ and _Nee-san_?"

Evelynn nodded.

"I got a call from Faey at the end of our date."

"She was the one calling you that night, wasn't she?"

"Yeah. She told me that _Otou-san _had a stroke. Although she said that his condition is stable, I still want to visit and check on him personally." Akali said, shrugging casually as she continued. "I owe it to him, at least. He's not _just _my father. He's also the only one that supported my choice in becoming an artist instead of being a police officer like_ Kaa-san _and him. In fact, he's the only reason why I'm still keeping contact with my family."

"You and I both know that if the same thing happened to your mother or your sister, you'd still go back home." Evelynn reached out and placed a hand over Akali's. "You love them, Akali."

"That's what I hate about it." Akali muttered, but she didn't reject Evelynn's touch of comfort. "I wish I could just stop myself from caring about them, but I can't. It sucks."

Evelynn offered a sympathetic smile before she gave Akali's hand a light squeeze. "When will you be leaving?"

"I'm still looking over the flights. There are a lot, so I'd probably pick one of the flights available tomorrow."

They may not be her memories, but Akali's childhood was like hers. She was like this imaginary friend that no one but herself knew existed at the time, and she witnessed everything Akali went through. It was heart-wrenching for her to imagine her creator going through a similar feeling once she returns to Ionia.

"Akali...-"

"I know we have a lot of things to talk about and I _promise_ we'll talk about everything once I get back."

"Akali," Evelynn started again, enveloping Akali's hand in both of her own. "I know you and I are just starting up with this relationship of ours and I don't want you to think I'm being _too comfortable _with you, but..."

Akali leaned in, capturing Evelynn's gaze. "But what?"

"...would you like me to come with you?"

Of all things Akali expected Evelynn to say, proposing to accompany her was certainly not at the top of the list.

Eyes slightly widening and lips parting as she softly exhaled, Akali stared back at Evelynn while the silent shock washed over upon hearing Evelynn's offer. What the goddess said was true. The two of them were just beginning to with this relationship of theirs, yet why was it ever since Akali had embraced the idea of her and Evelynn being together that it makes her feel so... _at ease _when it comes to her?

"...Yeah, I'd like that."

"You don't have to say yes if...-" Evelynn abruptly halted her speech, regarding Akali with a surprised look. "You want my company?"

Akali nodded, eyes averting but hand not at all retreating. "In the whole world, you're probably the only one that could understand how I feel about home. How I want to go and see my _Tou-san_, but also don't want to go because of... reasons."

"I'm... I'm honored, Akali."

Letting out an airy laugh, Akali managed to return her gaze to Evelynn, who met it with hers in a heartbeat. "You look surprised."

"That's because I am." Evelynn answered truthfully, cheeks lightly coloring.

"You asked me if I want you to come with me and I said yes." Akali dictated what recently happened, the tension being banished by the reassuring thought of Evelynn's company now being included on her upcoming way home. "What's so surprising about that?"

"You said yes. That's what surprised me." Evelynn replied, the smile on her lips briefly capturing Akali's attention. "The most memorable thing I offered you last time was my comfort, and you said...-"

"I said no." Akali sighed. "Yeah, I remember that. _Kami_, I was so stupid that time."

"You're not stupid."

"Maybe not anymore, but I _was _stupid at one point. At one point with you, at least." Akali took her hand away, the one Evelynn was holding, and reached up to cup Evelynn by her cheek. "I was wrong that time, y'know? When I told you that you weren't enough for me."

Though it was somewhat of a distant memory, Evelynn remembered it with crystal clarity. It didn't hurt her anymore. Not with Akali's warm palm touching her cheek like it was doing. She leaned in to the warmth, head turning enough to plant a soft kiss on the surface of her hand. With how Akali stilled for a short second, she can almost feel how her creator's heart picked up within her.

"Evelynn?"

"Yes...?" Evelynn whispered, feeling Akali's hand drift low and away from her cheek, the tips of her fingers tracing the outline of her lower lip.

"What kept your hope alive?"

A tender smile leisurely made its way up to her lips, her hand reaching up and laying over Akali's. "I couldn't do anything at the time, but I knew nothing could stop me from loving you. Even when you didn't know, I still felt like I was doing _something_ to show you how much you mean to me."

Akali felt like her heart could've stopped right then and there.

"In short, _you_ kept it alive."

"...I almost killed it." Instead of acting all depressed and retreating, Akali opened her arms and gave a wordless offer. She never thought she'd be so thankful when Evelynn scooted closer and nestled herself in her arms. She gave the goddess a firm squeeze once they were both settled and comfortable.

"I held on for so long, Akali. Just to get this point." Evelynn sighed in absolute contentment, her arms reciprocating the embrace. "You make everything worth it."

Akali's eyes drifted close, her entire self focusing everything to the warmth she had in her arms. They both stayed in that position for so long, yet Akali didn't think about complaining.

It was likely late already, maybe even past midnight, but she found herself not wanting to leave. With the time that had passed and how Evelynn's breath had steadied its pace, she knew the woman had fallen asleep in her embrace.

Making the littlest of movement, Akali was soon laying on the sofa with a slumbering Evelynn comfortably draped over her. While her left hand was resting on the small of Evelynn's back, her right was repeatedly yet delicately brushing through the silk-like magenta tresses.

"Evelynn...?"

"..."

She knew the goddess was asleep, yet Akali still spoke in the softest volume.

"I think I'm falling in love with you."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Well, this was one heck of chapter. Used it for Akali and Evelynn to cover some of the things they had problems with in the first couple of chapters of the story. Wouldn't want to leave out some loose ends. :3
> 
> Feel free to mention some other stuff I might've forgotten, so I could take care of them! :D
> 
> Now! Next chapter shall finally show Akali's strained relationship with Mayym and Faey. It'll also tackle a particular accident she and Faey were involved in back in the past, which will somewhat reference Akali's lore with Faey in League.
> 
> Anyway, I managed to finish this chapter because of @RachAsakawa and @rizzyunn! All thanks to their adorable Q&A video, which gave me so much Akalynn vibes! Check them out on Twitter! (I mostly base Akali and Evelynn from them :3)
> 
> Till my next update, everyone! ^u^/


	12. Chapter 12

**ACT 12**

"How rich are your friends?"

Amber eyes wandered away from the little traveling book guide being read, gaze fixating itself on the artist currently stuffing their two backpacks and shared mini-luggage bag in the overhead compartment above their seats.

Instead of answering immediately, Evelynn tilted her head and watched Akali, waiting until the latter was done and finally situated herself at the window seat at her right. Akali dusted her hands before turning to Evelynn, an expectant look in her eyes.

"My friends aren't rich." Evelynn answered truthfully, smiling when Akali wore a face that clearly showed how she didn't believe such thing. "I just have nice ones."

"You said it yourself, they paid for your ticket to come with me." Akali huffed, crossing her arms as she said, "I could've paid for it, y'know."

"I know you could have, but I don't want you to." Evelynn said with a light nudge. "Neither did I ask my friends, too. I was just surprised that Vi called me this morning and told me to get the money and my passport from her at the station."

"How are they so updated with your life?" Akali asked, but before Evelynn could answer, she abruptly raised her hands and shook her head. "Okay, wait, no, I think I know. And, I'm pretty sure it involves Father Christmas."

Evelynn chuckled. "I'm sure Zilean would be thrilled to know that you don't call him a_ 'handler'_ anymore."

"I'm curious though. Since you literally came alive a couple of months ago," Akali began with a contemplative look. "where do you get your papers? Birth certificate, your resumés, the important stuff."

"That's Vi and Caitlyn's role in every creations in the city." Evelynn replied. "When Vi came to be, Caitlyn wanted to get rid of her in the same way you wanted to get rid of me. But, when Vi reasoned she had nowhere to go and she didn't have a job, Caitlyn decided to forge her papers just to hasten the whole process."

"She forged her papers?" Akali asked with humorous disbelief. "Is that what they did for you?"

Evelynn made a small shushing gesture, winking. "No need to be loud, darling. Unless you want someone to hear that my papers were flawlessly forged."

Akali immediately piped down and made a zipping motion across her pursed lips, nodding. When they both let their conversation die down, Akali eventually gazed out of the window, watching as they took off from the runway and her view was replaced with the vast expanse of the blue sky.

Flying back to Ionia with possibly the only person outside her family that knew her personal issues wasn't what made Akali anxious. It was the fact that she's going to come face to face with her mother and sister again. As much as she loves her family, the only one she could see back home that wouldn't make her feel all nervous was her father.

It's been three years ever since she left and Akali was quite sure she might get more than just an earful from her mother, who would no doubt have something to say or do to her once she returns. After all, Akali's departure from their home wasn't exactly... planned.

Unconsciously, Akali drank from her water bottle for more than a few times as she continued staring off in a daze, while her train of thought wandered along with her worries.

Due to her oblivious turns of drinking water, within an hour after the take-off, Akali soon felt her bladder call for her attention and ask for some relief. She groaned, stopping herself from squirming on her seat a little as she placed her water bottle behind her. Shifting to the edge of her seat, Akali turned to excuse herself from Evelynn, whose legs were partially blocking the way.

Akali's words didn't make it out of her immediately though. She spent a fair moment staring at Evelynn, who was idly smiling as she tapped away on her phone. She seemed to be playing a game.

The said woman eventually prompted Akali to snap out of her daze once she finished her game and raised her head to look at her, clearly noticing how she had her attention for the past minute.

"May I help you, darling?"

"Uhh, yeah..." Akali offered a bit of a sheepish smile, making a small gesture to the little space. "I need to use the restroom."

Evelynn gave her a once-over, head tilting as she placed her phone down on her lap. "How badly?"

Akali's eyebrows furrowed at that. "Eh? What kind of question is that?"

"Do you _really_ need to go?"

"Unless you want me to hold my bladder and eventually wet myself here, yeah, I gotta go."

As if she was mocking her, which she might very well be doing, Evelynn further stretched her leg out as much as she could without bumping the seat of the passenger in front of her. With her legs serving as more of a little barricade and an added difficulty for Akali to get through without disturbing anyone, Evelynn placed her right elbow on the armrest before resting her chin on her palm. Only a teasing smile can be found playing on her lips as she eyed Akali.

"And what do I get in return for letting you pass?"

Akali's eyes widened at that.

Was Evelynn really going to do this to her now?

With her bladder becoming a nuisance to her with each passing second she remained on her seat, she was having quite the hard time in wracking her brain for a way to convince Evelynn to fold her legs a little for her to slip through easily.

"What do you want, then?" Akali asked in a huff, her scowl looking more pout-like.

"What do you have to offer anyway?"

"Evelynn, please, please, just let me through."

"Not unless you give me something."

Once again, Akali huffed. As much as she would've wanted to play this teasing game with Evelynn, she really needed to go. Going with the first idea her mind could think of, Akali grabbed Evelynn and pulled her in. Before their lips could touch though, Akali turned the siren's head away and planted an audible smooch on her cheek.

The sharp, abrupt gasp that left Evelynn was quick to capture not only the attention of the passengers at the neighbouring aisle, but also the notice of the little girl situated on the seat behind Akali's.

"That good enough?" Akali asked, looking at Evelynn for a response. Unfortunately for her, all she got was a pair of amber eyes staring back at her in absolute surprise. "No?"

Thinking Evelynn still wouldn't move her legs out of stubbornness, Akali reeled her in again and started peppering her right cheek with kisses. She didn't know if it was just her or not, but each contact her lips made with Evelynn's cheek, the soft skin seemed to become warmer and warmer with each kiss.

When she gave probably the ninth or tenth kiss, she retracted and surveyed Evelynn for a moment before she asked again, "That enough?"

Blinking back at her, Evelynn was speechless and was additionally frozen in shock. When she said she wanted something from Akali, she figured her creator would say that she'd buy her a drink, or give her a quick hug, or maybe even offer to tour her around her hometown. The rain of sweet kisses was certainly not part of the results she predicted she'd receive.

When Akali still failed to acquire a response, she made a move to swoop back in and litter Evelynn's cheek with even more kisses. Her mind seemed to have convinced her that doing such would finally prompt the goddess in letting her through.

"Eew!" The girl peeking over their seat reacted, making a face at the display of affection.

With what just happened, Evelynn didn't really find herself being surprised with how Akali reacted to the child. The artist finally released her, but only because she felt embarrassed by the kid's reaction, who she ended up glaring at.

"Can it, kid. You'd do the same thing if you had her as your girlfriend." Akali said with a snort, settling on just manually moving Evelynn's legs, which freely went along with her grasp.

Murmuring a hurried _'excuse me'_, Akali managed to successfully slip away from their seats and hastily make her way towards the lavatory. Thankfully, she didn't have to weave through anyone except for the flight attendant she crossed paths with on her way.

As for Evelynn, she leaned her head out until she was peeking over the aisle, shortly gazing at the direction Akali went off to before she retracted back and shifted on her seat. She reached up and touched her cheek, a small smile slowly shaping her lips as she remembered the feeling of Akali's lips against it for more than a few times. Not to mention what she said to the girl, it sure did cause a touch of redness to briefly spread across her face.

Speaking of the kid...

"You're her girlfriend?"

Evelynn shifted herself on her seat once again, turning around and raising her head a little in order for her gaze to connect with the young girl peeking over their seats. With the look of things and how she was somewhat hearing the sound of soft snoring behind her, the child was probably standing on her seat and her companion, Evelynn assumed it was either her brother or father, fell asleep sometime after the takeoff.

"I'm honestly surprised myself." Evelynn answered truthfully, smiling in amusement at the recent memory. When the girl showed no sign in stepping out of view, she decided to reach a hand up and offer it to the child. "I'm Evelynn."

"Annie." The girl responded back with her own introduction, shaking her outstretched hand with her much smaller one.

"Nice to meet you, Annie." Evelynn returned with a delicate smile. "Are you traveling with your family?"

"I'm with my daddy." Annie said, nodding to her left for a second before speaking in a hushed voice. "He's the one snoring."

Evelynn chuckled, doing a shushing gesture. "Well, we should be quiet, then."

"No need. He's a heavy-sleeper." Annie then perked up when she remembered her other traveling companion. "Ooh! And I'm with my new best friend, Tibbers!"

As soon as she said such, she suddenly moved out of view. Evelynn didn't even have time to stand a little and peer over the backrest when she heard Annie call the name _'Tibbers'_, which were then followed with something being unlocked. In a few seconds, she soon caught sight of Annie again, but this time, a rather large puppy can be found peeking with her.

It was a dark brown _Ovcharka_ and even though it was likely one or two months old, its size was enough to give Annie a bit of difficulty in holding up in order for the two of them to be able to peer over the seats in front of them.

Evelynn's eyes significantly brightened at the sight of the animal. Her smile became wide as she spun on her seat and halfway faced Annie, reaching out to shake one of the dog's paws.

"Why hello there, Tibbers."

Tibbers gave a pleased whine, nuzzling and licking a few times at Evelynn's hand once she finished shaking his paw. Beside him, Annie giggled, saying, "He likes you."

"What's not to like?" Evelynn lightly jested, chuckling as she reached over and gave Tibbers' head a little ruffle. "He's adorable, Annie, but I think you should put him back in his carrier. The flight attendants might notice."

Annie nodded and just when she was about to pull Tibbers away, Evelynn gave a little wave at the puppy, who barked happily at her in return before being taken back to his cozy carrier. Soon after that, Annie was back to peering over the seat, arms perched on top. Clearly, she wanted to chat with Evelynn some more.

"The girl that left earlier," Annie started, referring to Akali. "she's your girlfriend?"

Evelynn hummed for a moment before she said, "I'm not exactly sure."

"My teacher said that a girl should only marry a boy," Annie informed her with a thoughtful look, but she followed it up with, "but daddy said that sometimes, boys fall in love with boys and girls fall in love with girls, and he said that it's normal?"

"It is."

"Does that mean you're... Umm, what's the word...?" Annie puffed out her cheeks as she tried remembering the term she had heard from other people. "Gay? Is that it?"

Nodding and humming, Evelynn answered back, "Yes, that's right."

"Some people from my school said being gay is stupid." Annie said with a pout before her expression quickly shifted to a smile. "But, daddy told me that as long they love each other, it doesn't matter if they're a boy and a girl."

Evelynn smiled at that. "Your dad is a smart man."

"Yeah, he is. He helps me with my math homework when I have a hard time."

Their conversation briefly halted when they heard Akali's voice, which prompted Evelynn to look over to the direction it came from. She found her creator saying _'excuse me'_ to the flight attendant pushing a cart down the aisle, looking sheepish when she apologized to the passenger at one of the aisle seats, which she ended up bumping on her way.

"You'd think your girlfriend would be cool." Annie commented, giggling at the sheepish face Akali wore when she said sorry to one of the passengers. "I mean, you're really beautiful! Why can't she be super beautiful like you?"

Akali, who just heard the last part, shot a look at Annie. "Who can't be as beautiful as Evelynn?"

Annie snickered before pointing at her. "You."

"Are you calling me ugly?" Akali asked, an incredulous gleam in her eyes. "Excuse me, kid, but I'm _super_ attractive."

Annie didn't say anything, but she did giggle adorably to herself, which Akali seemed to be affected with more than necessary. Evelynn shook her head and pulled Akali back to her seat, ushering her to settle down.

"She's just a little girl, Akali. Be nice."

Akali gave an _'I'm watching you'_ gesture at Annie, who merely giggled again before finally moving out of view and returning back to her seat. Akali did the same thing and even though she was already seated, she mumbled about how some kids like Annie sure did find her entertaining.

"Akali?" Evelynn softly called for her attention, eyeing her curiously.

"Yeah?"

"Is there any chance that you might explain what happened earlier?"

Akali abruptly yet fleetingly stiffened from her place before she cleared her throat and adjusted the hoodie she was wearing over her shirt. "Ah, right..."

Truthfully, while Evelynn had recovered with her initial shock and held a pleasant conversation with a cute little girl, Akali was feeling more than a tad bit embarrassed at the lavatory once she finished relieving her bladder.

Recalling how she had outright littered kisses all over Evelynn's cheek, Akali felt like she was back in high school and was having her very first crush. She couldn't believe she actually did that. Though it was something she later realized that she genuinely enjoyed, it was still so sudden and so openly affectionate from her part.

To top it all off, she even referred to Evelynn as her girlfriend!

"I... want to say I didn't mean what I said, but I'd probably be lying about half of it." Akali said with an embarrassed look. "I don't exactly regret giving you all those kisses. And, it's not like you didn't like it, either."

Evelynn made a cute face at the last part. She smiled quite widely, almost grinning. "Do you want me to lie or be honest?"

"...Be honest, I guess?"

"I loved every single kiss." Evelynn instantly replied with a delighted look. "I wouldn't mind returning the favor, too, if I may add."

Akali blushed at that and she resorted to turning away and pulling her hood up to hide herself. She knew it was cowardly for her to try and dismiss the somewhat embarrassing talk of theirs, but she felt like she was just going to blush for the rest of the remaining eight to nine hours of the flight.

She knew Evelynn would probably prod for some more answers about what happened, but much to her surprise, the goddess let her slide and allowed her to just remain hidden by her warm hood.

Of course when she felt Evelynn rest her head against her shoulder, Akali only became tense for a split-second before she relaxed and allowed herself to silently relish the warmth the woman provided.

Sighing contentedly, Evelynn added in a soft murmur, "I also wouldn't mind if the time comes that I'll actually be your girlfriend."

.....

.....

.....

"_When_ the time comes." Akali corrected after a moment of silence, causing Evelynn's heart to flutter within her.

An eager smile made its way to Evelynn's lips, which were then accompanied with words uttered in a tender manner that made Akali's own heart feel incredible wonders.

"When the time comes... I like that."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

The flight they took had them on the plane for at least ten hours, so they weren't surprised when it was late in the evening by the time the aircraft landed and they've reached their general destination.

Due to arriving around eleven o'clock in the evening, Akali figured she and Evelynn should head to her home tomorrow and just spend the night elsewhere to avoid being a bother to her family. She didn't exactly want them both arriving in the middle of night at her childhood home and end up disrupting the sleep of whoever's at the house.

Since she's more familiar with the area they eventually found themselves in, Akali was the one who led Evelynn to the place where they could stay the night in after they got their money exchanged on their way. Of course in the entirety of the three years she's been away from her hometown, a couple of things seemed to have changed.

Like when she and Evelynn stepped out of the cab they hailed, which drove them to the hotel at least half an hour away from her family residence, Akali expected to see the warm and cozy-looking building she grew up walking past every morning when she went to school.

What she _didn't_ expect was to find herself now standing in front of a freaking _love hotel_.

While she stood there looking shocked at the fact that the old, ordinary hotel had been replaced with a somewhat different establishment, Evelynn didn't seem to notice her rather horrified state. She was apparently more focused on looking over the sign at the side, which displayed the basic prices of renting a room.

As sweet as how they had somehow enjoyed cuddling throughout their time on the plane, sharing a bed was wholly different. Akali wanted to drag Evelynn away before she could verbally point out that they were standing right in front of a building couples usually go in for a night of sexual satisfaction.

Unfortunately, it was extremely late already, probably even nearing midnight. Akali didn't really want to spend an hour walking to the nearest roadside where cabs drive past just for them both to find a different place to stay over at.

Looking at the love hotel before her, she was a bit thankful it wasn't as loud and flashy as most of its kind. It somehow saved her some of the embarrassment she was currently feeling. The sign _'Blissful Paradise'_ was more than enough of an explanation why the driver of their cab seemed to have been glancing at her and Evelynn through his rearview mirror when they came to a stop in front of the building.

"It's cold out here." Evelynn spoke up once she finished checking the price list, looking over her shoulder to make eye contact with Akali.

"Uh, yeah..." Akali cleared her throat and adjusted her hold on their strolley bag, nodding before ushering Evelynn to enter first. "After you."

Once they were inside, Akali was quick to tell Evelynn to wait for her at where the elevator was before she shuffled towards the receptionist, who looked absolutely bored out of her mind. The middle-aged woman handed her a thin booklet that showcased at least two pictures of the units in the building.

With her and Evelynn agreeing firsthand that they'll be sharing the fee for their overnight accommodation, Akali picked the room that looked as normal and comfortable as a regular hotel unit.

"You don't by chance have a room that has _two_ separate beds?" Akali asked, pursing her lips and shooting the worker a hopeful look.

The woman, who was already holding the room key of the unit she chose, stared blankly at her. "What do you think?"

Although Akali could've been more pleased with a less sarcastic answer, she only ended up sighing and murmuring her thanks as she bowed briefly in thanks and finally took the offered key. Dragging their luggage behind her, Akali met up with Evelynn at the elevator.

The lift had just been boarded by someone, possibly a couple, from the third floor, so the two of them had to wait for it to go down the lobby. This, of course, gave Akali the chance to spy the smile on Evelynn's lips. The expression was in the middle of being withheld, but the goddess seemed to be failing in keeping it in.

"What're you smiling about?"

"Nothing."

Even when they finally stepped inside the elevator and rode it up to the third floor where their room can be found, Akali decided to let Evelynn slide with that smile threatening to burst out of her. That was until they ultimately reached their unit.

Once the door closed and the two of them were standing in the middle of the little makeshift living area of the entire room, Akali dropped her backpack on the sofa and pushed the strolley bag right beside the said furniture before turning to face Evelynn.

"I know you're smiling about something." Akli said, pointedly staring at the siren as she crossed her arms.

With a wide smile officially playing on her lips, Evelynn gestured at her as she said, "I am. And that _something_ is your awkwardness."

"_Kami..._" Akali sighed out, turning away and rubbing a hand over her face. "I know you're not blind. You _know_ where we are...-"

"Mm-hm, I do."

"...-and I swear, this was all _unintentional_."

Evelynn tittered, fruitlessly concealing the amused curve on her lips with a hand of hers. "I never thought you and I flew all the way just for you to bring me here."

"_Urusai!_" Akali snapped back, feeling more frustrated with the fact that she let herself be put in this predicament. She probably should've researched of a place where they could've stayed at in advance rather than relying on what she remembered of what used to be back home. "How do you expect me _not_ to feel awkward?"

"I don't." Evelynn replied simply, shrugging the straps of her backpack off her shoulders. "But that doesn't mean I don't find you adorable on how you're acting right now."

Akali groaned. "You can't blame me, right? I mean, I should be nervous that I'll be seeing my family again tomorrow, but here I am feeling all flustered about how I just brought the woman I like to a love hotel without meaning to!"

Evelynn chuckled and stepped towards her, brushing a hand over her arm and nearly causing her to shiver at the soft touch. "Don't read into it too much and maybe you won't feel so embarrassed."

The advice was sincere and Evelynn wasn't sending her any flirtatious signals, so Akali nodded and decided to take it in wordlessly. But then, the magenta-haired woman decided that it wasn't enough and that she wanted to remind Akali of what's in store for them both later.

"Besides, if you're already feeling embarrassed of standing in the middle of a love hotel with me, what more will you do when you and I share the bed later?"

Akali almost yelped at the reminder. She turned to Evelynn with wide eyes, but before she could blurt out her frantic thoughts, the goddess raised a hand and waved it dismissively.

"If it's uncomfortable for you, just know that I'm completely willing to sleep on the couch like how I used to back in your apartment." Evelynn swiftly added, winking.

Now that just sounded unfair in Akali's ears. Though Evelynn was the one that offered to come along with her in her trip, Akali still felt that such wasn't enough of a reason for the woman to sleep on a sofa again.

Additionally, the couch in their unit may look nice and pristine, but she's pretty sure certain... _activities_ have probably taken place on that furniture. Heck, it wasn't even soft and its cushions were too firm to be considered comfortable in sleeping on.

"...No."

"No?"

"You don't have to sleep on the couch." Akali clarified, a resigned sigh leaving her. "I trust you now and I know you wouldn't do anything that'd make me uncomfortable in bed, so no, you won't be sleeping here. You'll be sleeping with me on the perfectly good bed over there."

Evelynn felt utterly grateful for the consideration Akali was sincerely showing, but still, she wanted to be sure about it. "Are you sure, darling? I really don't mind."

"Maybe you don't, but I do." Akali then wore a small but reassuring smile as she placed a hand on Evelynn's shoulder. "Don't worry, it's totally fine with me in sharing a bed. We're splitting the bill, aren't we? So it's only right that we split the bed, too."

"Alright, if that's what you want." Evelynn relented with a nod before glancing at the direction of the bathroom. She wanted to ask if Akali was fine with her showering once she orders room service for dinner, but the artist seemed to have the latter covered.

"Okay, since we haven't eaten any yet, there's this place just a block from here. It's open 24/7, and they sell these little rice meals that're really good." Akali said, recalling the street food stand she frequented in the past. "It's cheaper than room service, so we'll be able to save some money."

"I see. Well, be careful, darling. It _is_ late already."

"I'll be quick, don't worry."

Akali immediately rushed off once she gave her reassurance, parting from Evelynn with a little wave of a hand. The growling in her stomach began when she walked out of the hotel, and it grew louder when she rounded around the corner and caught sight of the food stand.

Taking in the delicious aroma of the food being cooked made her briefly recall how she, Faey and some of their schoolmates always stopped by at this particular food stand. She remembered how they always bought rice meals for either breakfast or lunch on their way to school.

Akali dazedly watched the worker prepare her order once she gave it, hands buried in her pockets and shoulders slightly hunching due to the cold evening breeze. As she waited, her mind wandered to what she was already expecting tomorrow.

No doubt there would be a little bit of family drama once she shows herself at home. Faey had sent a message to her last night, telling her their father had been discharged and was back home. Even in the text, her sister was straightforward and showed no window for any sort of casual conversations.

Akali shook her head. Thinking about the troublesome future was certainly not how she wanted to spend her night. It would only lead to her being completely sleepless throughout the evening.

Negative thoughts set aside, Akali lowered her gaze to the ground, her right foot scraping the tip of her shoes against the dirt as she thought about the woman waiting for her back at the place she'll be staying overnight at.

Akali released a deep breath, feeling somewhat stupid for being so affected with what awaits her in the night. In her head, she asked herself what's so bad about sleeping beside Evelynn?

Sure, they're dating, but that didn't mean _something_ was going to happen between them the second they share a blanket with one another.

"Here's your order."

"Ah." Akali took the plastic bag from the man, making sure the two stacked paper containers weren't going to tilt. Briefly bowing, she thanked the vendor. "_Arigatou._"

Hurrying back, Akali soon left the stand and ducked inside the hotel before anyone that might possibly recognize her in her high school days could see her. She knew it was already significantly late, but it never hurts to be too careful. She didn't exactly want to be seen entering a love hotel in the middle of the night, regardless of the fact that she and Evelynn actually idled a fair amount of time outside the said establishment before going in.

Akali let out a breath once the elevator dinged and she stepped out, heading to their rented place. She was soon walking in the unit, completely prepared in calling out to Evelynn and telling her that she was back with their late dinner.

Her words got caught in her throat though. With the room just being a wide space with various areas divided by furniture, the moment she stepped inside, she easily caught sight of its entirety.

And that includes the door leading to the bathroom, where Evelyn was just walking out of, body clad in a bathrobe and most of her hair and face being covered by the towel she was using to dry it.

Though the bathrobe was tied close and offered not much of a view of her chest, it gave no coverage around the lower part. Everything below the bottom half of Evelynn's thighs were exposed, which openly exhibited the long legs Akali herself always envisioned she has.

With the towel she was using to wipe over her face, Evelynn wasn't immediately aware of her companion being there already. Even when she pulled the towel away, she turned her head until she was looking at the bed, where she had placed her attire for the evening.

Only when Evelyn started untying her robe did Akali found her voice again.

"I'm back!" Akali called out as coolly as she could, relieved that she didn't stumble with her words.

Upon her speech though, Evelynn seemed to have been taken by surprise, slightly jumping before she tugged her robe close again. She had apparently already finished untying the knot. With both hands clutching her robe close, she turned to face Akali, smiling in greeting.

"You clearly weren't kidding when you said you'd be quick." Evelynn lightly joked, subtly fixing the ties of her robe. "Just give me a minute, alright? I'll just go get my clothes and dress in the bathroom."

"No, no," Akali felt like slapping herself for disagreeing with Evelynn's decision, but still, she continued with her rather _bold_ suggestion. "I'll just turn around here and uh, put the food on the little table over here."

Akali didn't wait for an answer to that. She immediately made her way to the sofa, trying not to look too awkward when she covered the side of her face with her hand to hide Evelynn from her line of sight. She sat down and made her back face Evelynn as she placed their food on the coffee table, taking them out of the plastic bag. Once she realized a little flaw in her suggestion though, she made a move to turn around as she spoke.

"And I promise I won't...-" Akali's eyes abruptly widened, nearly yelping when she ended up frantically yelling out the last word of her supposed _'promise'_. "-peek!"

Face reddening, Akali spun back around and became as stiff as she could be on the couch. She had just seen the bare back of the goddess, and although she had caught sight of such when they went out on their date, this predicament they're in were much different than the former. Not to mention the seemingly plain yet lacey-looking underwear Evelynn was wearing right now, it certainly did not provide a decent amount of coverage.

Behind her, Evelynn looked over her shoulder and briefly eyed Akali's rigid form with an amused look. She didn't mean to flash her half-naked back to the artist. When Akali made her way to the couch and faced away from her, she thought her creator wouldn't look at her direction again without giving her a little heads up.

Grabbing the black and white nightshirt she had laid out on the bed, she unbuttoned it and swiftly slipped it on. Halfway through the process of doing the buttons, she finally made her way to Akali, who was practically nitpicking with the plastic sporks that came along with their rice meals.

"I didn't mean to flash you." Was the first thing Evelynn said once she sat down beside Akali, who was quick to shake her head in reply.

"You didn't! Like, I saw probably a glimpse? Maybe even less? Pfft! I don't think I even _remember_ seeing anything." Akali responded back, trying to play off her silly reaction a moment ago.

"Well, if that's the case," Evelynn reached towards one of the paper cups, hand hovering right on top the nearest one as she looked back at Akali. "is this one mine?"

Akali nodded, the redness in her cheeks subsiding as she wordlessly accepted the escape ticket Evelynn was giving her. "Yeah, that's yours. Mine is spicier because of the chili flakes. Yours have fried garlic though, and I guarantee that it'll be tasty."

Thankfully for Akali, Evelynn spared her and didn't bother teasing her about the recent incident. Aside from that, Akali probably would've struck up a conversation with Evelynn if the woman's eyes didn't sparkle upon the first the bite she got from her meal.

As Evelynn ate her dinner, Akali devoured her own in a stable pace, eyes _'accidentally'_ drifting between Evelynn and her own food. In all honesty, the siren enjoying her delicious evening meal sure was a sight worthy in admiring. Evelynn looked like a cute little girl munching on her favorite candy.

Akali was the first to finish her dinner. She excused herself from Evelynn after telling her she was going to unpack the clothes she was going to use for tonight to pass the time before she takes her own quick yet warm shower.

Once Akali left the sofa and threw her empty cup and used spork in the trash bin, Evelynn finished her food a couple of minutes later. Time seemed to move fast for her because next thing she knew, she had thrown her own cup in the bin, washed her hands and was preparing the bed for her and Akali, who was in the shower around this particular time.

It's been total of maybe fifteen to twenty minutes and Akali was still in the bathroom. Evelynn had finished brushing her teeth at the kitchenette and had already put her toothbrush away. She slid into the bed, which was comfier than it looked, before staring at the still closed bathroom door.

For a moment, she thought about waiting for Akali, but then a scenario popped up inside her mind. Due to what happened earlier, Akali might just become embarrassed if she was going to slip in the bed with her while she was absolutely wide awake. This could possibly end up with Akali saying she was just going to sleep on the couch, or maybe even vice-versa.

Sighing softly, Evelynn shook her head and decided to play it safe. Tucking herself under the warm blanket, she turned her back on the direction of the bathroom and closed her eyes to try and fall asleep before her creator comes out.

They may have spent the previous night cozied up on her apartment's couch, but she herself felt the same with Akali when it comes to sharing a bed. The predicament just felt different. It wasn't as spontaneous as the time they fell asleep on the sofa, but it wasn't really bad either.

Just when Evelynn was feeling the touch of slumber, the sound of the bathroom door opening reached her ears. Though it wasn't enough to reel her out completely, the sound of clothes rustling surely did. She nearly forgot that Akali had laid out her own clothes on her side of the bed, which consisted of a pair of loose shorts and a shirt with a shuriken imprinted on it.

Once the rustling stopped, she heard and felt the bed shift as soon as Akali joined her under the blanket. Even though the bed was relatively big, she could still feel Akali's body heat eventually reach her. It was only the tiniest feeling, but it was enough for her to be entirely conscious.

"Evelynn?"

"..."

"You awake?"

"..."

"...Guess not."

Evelynn honestly didn't know why she wasn't saying anything. She could feel her heart beginning to thump inside her like a loud drum beginning to increase its thunderous tempo. Maybe she was scared she might surprise Akali or make her nervous in being in bed with her, who knows, right?

"She must've been really tired." Akali murmured to herself, trying to be as cozy and relaxed as she could from her side on the bed.

As minutes passed, Evelynn continued to pretend she was asleep, while Akali was laying on the bed as if she was a corpse. Heck, with the way she was rigidly lying down and had her hands folded on her stomach, she looked ready to be put in a coffin.

_'Come on, Akali.'_ Akali herself tried convincing herself to relax her body. _'Evelynn's already asleep, so relax! Come on!'_

A couple of minutes passed, Akali still found herself unable to loosen her stiff form. She soon opted in opening her eyes and just staring at the ceiling, which she then realized actually had this huge mirror attached directly on it's surface. She could see a clear reflection of her and Evelynn, but before she could even focus on her bedmate, she saw firsthand how silly she looked at the moment.

There Evelynn was, sleeping soundly, while Akali couldn't bring herself to do the same thing because of some reason she was unable to put into words even in her head.

Akali took a deep breath._ 'That's it. Calm down. You'll get through this without a hitch. Just relax and...-'_

"Do you always sleep like a corpse?"

The sudden voice of the siren startled Akali, but she thankfully caught herself before she made a squeak or a yelp. She whipped her head, eyeing the back of Evelynn's head. The voice was clear as crystal, so she's quite certain she didn't just imagine it.

"You've been awake this whole time?" Akali asked in a whisper, almost as if somebody other than Evelynn might hear her.

"Does it matter?" Evelynn asked, remaining turned away from the artist. "Also, is that a yes to my question? Are you practicing for your funeral or something?"

Akali huffed and made a face. "I'm just not used to having a sleeping buddy with me, alright? And no, that doesn't mean I don't like you sleeping right beside me."

"..."

Once again, there was no response. Akali nearly huffed again, but instead of doing so, she chose to refocus her gaze back to the mirror on the ceiling above them. She squinted her eyes a little as she tried zeroing her gaze in on the reflection of Evelynn's head, trying to catch sight of the woman's face.

It took more than a few minutes for Akali to realize that she's been staring far too long to be considered acceptable. Though Evelynn seemed to be oblivious of the fact she was being stared at, Akali herself was aware of her actions and felt a bit embarrassed when realization dawned to her.

Sheets rustled and the weight on the mattress shifted, prompting Akali to immediately snap her gaze to her left. Blue met amber and honestly, she felt like her heart pounded loud enough for Evelynn to hear it upon the connection.

Right forearm tucked underneath her pillow and her front now facing Akali, Evelynn briefly gazed at her with a longing look veiled by the shadows of the room. The lights were off, but they seemed to have forgotten to close the blackout blinds at the window on the other side of the room, which was responsible for the little moonlight dimly illuminating the unit.

"Akali?"

Subtly, she swallowed, appearing cool and collected as she said, "Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

Countless things could serve as the answer to the query, but Akali kept calm and managed to nod and murmur, "Sure. What's on your mind?"

"Would it be too much for me to ask if we could cuddle tonight?"

_ **Thump! Thump! Thump!** _

Oh good, Akali's heart was still beating. The pace may not be as normal and stable as the usual, but at least it didn't stop the second she heard Evelynn's hopeful request. The latter seemed to have rendered Akali speechless for a moment, which caused Evelynn to think the lack of verbal response meant that the artist was struggling to find the words to utter a _rejection_.

"It's too much, isn't it?" Evelynn spoke up again, an understanding smile with hints of the forlorn feeling appearing on her lips. "Forget I asked."

Akali's eyes widened when Evelynn spun around the bed and turned her back to her once again, her words catching in her throat before she could actually vocalize them. She knew she could still make an attempt in telling Evelynn that she was genuinely okay with what she wanted, but her vocabulary seemed to be eluding her.

Unable to find the right to say, Akali was left with the only option she could think of. She scooted on the bed, bringing herself closer to Evelynn. Before the woman could show any sort of reaction, Akali slid her left arm underneath her while her right draped over Evelynn's stomach.

The goddess stilled in her hold for a second, but she wasted no time in relaxing in her creator's arms. A smile, one that showed contentment, sculpted Evelynn's lips as she shifted to the littlest bit, adjusting along with Akali until she felt the latter press warmly against her back and embrace her in a delicate hug. She could feel Akali's breath brush over her nape, which indicated how close she was to her.

"Is this okay?"

Akali didn't really know where she got the courage to be so forward, but she didn't dare question it now. After all, the moment was admittedly more than a little awkward, but it was going smoother than she expected.

"It's..." Evelynn was the one who swallowed this time. She didn't know if it would be too uncharacteristic for her to just grin at the affectionate gesture. "It's nice."

"You're not uncomfortable?"

"Are you?"

"...No, not really. You feel... warm."

"I'd probably be pushing my luck if I said I want to turn and look at you right now." Evelynn softly murmured, eyes opening and absently staring into nothing. "To see if you're enjoying this as much as I am."

Once again, Akali chose to let her actions speak for her. She turned Evelynn herself and even when she began doing so, there was no resistance. In a heartbeat, the two of them were gazing into each other's eyes, her azures somewhat sparkling as the dim light reflected against her irises.

"I am." Akali uttered quietly, brushing her knuckles at Evelynn's cheek. "Evelynn?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask _you_ something?"

Evelynn nodded, humming softly.

The next question that left Akali's lips surprised even herself, for it just felt so out of the blue yet so right to ask the particularly query.

"Can I kiss you?"

Evelynn's eyes widened, clearly not expecting that precise question to be asked. Her heart was drumming loudly now as a moment passed with nothing happening between them, until...

The gesture was quick, the feeling of a pair of lips touching the tip of her nose fleeting. Akali stared back at Evelynn, who pulled back and assessed her with a little smile.

"Good night, Akali."

Akali almost frowned when Evelynn turned away, but the memory of the warmth that briskly touched her nose was lingering in her mind. She eventually smiled to herself, once again pressing herself behind Evelynn.

Finally, she was relaxed.

"_Oyasumi_, Evelynn."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

The clock hanging on the wall had just declared it was around _9:15 AM_ by the time Evelynn had returned to the hotel, bag of take-out in hand and most of the right side of her pants and a small part of her shirt's right sleeve sullied with dirty water found in the streets.

Evelynn had woken up earlier than Akali and instead of disturbing the artist's sleeping self, which had rolled away from her during the sometime at night, she decided to take initiative in buying them some breakfast.

Using Akali's memories of the area they're currently in, she easily navigated herself through the streets. Few minutes of walking was all it took for her to find the place Akali also frequented whenever she craved for a good _Onigiri_ during her high school days.

Evelynn was fortunate enough to be knowledgeable towards Akali's liking due to the fact that she's her creation, so it was easier for her to buy the one the artist preferred. Additionally, she stopped by at a convenience store she passed during her return walk to the hotel, buying two fish-shaped ice creams for her and Akali to enjoy after they finish their _Onigiris_.

On her way back though, she unfortunately suffered a little incident. A speeding car had zoomed past her and ended up splashing some of the murky street water at her side. Despite the happening evidently annoying her, Evelynn was thankful that it was the mini _'tidal wave'_ type of splash and not the kind that would have doused her whole body.

Once Evelynn was walking back inside their rented unit, she placed the ice creams in the small fridge at the kitchenette and the rest of the food on the same table at the living area before she made her way to one of the corners of the room just near the bed, where they had deposited their bags.

Evelynn wanted to get out of her stained clothes, so after casting a quick glance at Akali, who seemed to be still asleep in bed, she undressing herself. She stripped until she was bare, storing the clothes in the same bag she and Akali had put their used clothing.

Thankfully, Akali wasn't disturbed by the sound of clothes rustling. It made things easier for Evelynn to slip her robe on and make her way to the bathroom to take a shower.

When the siren did step into the tiled room, her eyes landed on the tempting bathtub free for her to use. She glanced over to the door she had closed, nodding to herself when she figured that she could steal at least a few minutes of relaxation.

Filling up the tub with warm water and giving it a bubbly layer on the top, Evelynn was soon out of her robe and in the relaxing embrace of the soapy water. She released a sigh as she let herself sink a little until the level of the water nearly reached the top of her shoulders.

_'Just a few minutes, Evelynn.' _She told herself in her head. _"And after that, wake up Akali, eat some breakfast and make our way to her old home.'_

_Few Minutes Later..._

Back in the bedroom, Akali grumbled under her breath when she felt her phone vibrate underneath her pillow. It was an alarm she had set and now, it was soundlessly telling her to get up and officially start her day.

Akali originally wanted to sleep in since she only got to do that during Fridays and Saturdays, but she knew that her top priority was to make her way to her childhood home and finally see how her father was doing. And of course, she had to face the music concerning her mother and her sister.

Eyes barely open as she made her way to the bathroom to pee, Akali just twisted the handle of the door and entered the bathroom. With her just waking up, her mind was still clouded with nothing but the desire to return to the bed and sleep the morning away.

Pushing her shorts and underwear down, Akali propped her little butt on the toilet seat. A loud yawn escaped her before she slumped and placed her elbow on her knee, chin perched on her hand as she emptied her bladder.

With her awareness still muddled with the remnants of her sleep, Akali failed to notice the fact that the tub at her left was literally filled with water and bubbles and that Evelynn was literally _right there_ and was staring at her with a mixed look of surprise, amusement and uncertainty.

Evelynn kept herself as quiet as she could, not even daring to shift from her place in fear of making a small splashing sound and prompt Akali to become abruptly aware with her presence. She found Akali's sleep-hinted expression an awfully nice and rather adorable view, so she kept her gaze trained on her creator's face.

Akali eventually sighed quietly as she pushed the _'Wash' _button at the right side, feeling the cool water clean her private part and give a small wave of relief. Once she finished, she stood up, pulled her shorts back up and flushed the toilet, still half-asleep as she washed her hands and gargled some water to at the sink to get rid of her morning breath.

After another minute or two, Akali finally finished everything she intended on doing at the bathroom, exiting the said room and turning the light off as she stepped out. Behind her, Evelynn simply giggle quietly to herself before she finally left the bathtub and got rid of the bubble water, opting to move to the shower to rinse herself with the help of the light from outside, which was seeping through the ajar door.

By the time Akali was back out and was doing a couple of stretches did she fully wake up and survey her surroundings, making her realize that Evelynn was nowhere in sight.

"Evelynn?"

She checked at the kitchenette, the other side of the bed and even the small closet they didn't bother using, Evelynn seemed to be nowhere to be found.

That was until Akali was just standing at the living area curiously looking at the food in the table did Evelynn finally step out of the bathroom. It was the only place Akali hadn't checked when she was entirely awake and aware.

"Looking for me, darling?" Evelynn quipped with a light tone, causing Akali to jump slightly in surprise before turning around and facing her.

"Evelynn!" Akali uttered her name in surprise, immediately noticing how the woman was just clad in bathrobe once again. "Wait, where'd you come from? I've been looking all over for you."

"Did you check the bathroom?"

Akali _had_ heard the sound of a shower running when she was at the kitchenette, but she had dismissed it easily and thought it was from a different unit. After all, she _was_ just at the bathroom, so she was pretty certain earlier that Evelynn wasn't there.

"No, I didn't." Akali said, shaking her head. "I was there, and you weren't..."

"I was there." Evelynn coolly interrupted, smiling apologetically as she further continued with, "And, I know this is embarrassing for you and it'll sound really... perverted, but I was actually at the bathtub relaxing when you came in and just pulled your shorts down to do your business."

Akali's eyes evidently widened, while the significant expression of embarrassment morphed her expression. The next set of words Evelynn uttered weren't helping either.

"I knew you just woke up and didn't notice me when you came in. And yes, I know you're probably wondering why I didn't say anything. Honestly," Evelynn directed her eyes to the side as her cheeks became dusted with a modest shade of pink. "I just didn't want to startle you off the toilet. And, well... You looked... cute."

Instead of letting herself be swallowed whole by the embarrassment coursing through her, she forced herself to take a deep breath, clench her eyes close in the midst of it before exhaling. She knew reacting more vocally about the predicament might just catapult her into a much more embarrassing level, so she settled on a rigid gesture and a couple of murmured words.

"I'll be here," She pointed to the sofas. "while you get dressed. Also, I won't look this time. I promise."

And with that said, Akali urged herself to turn away from Evelynn and make her way completely to the nearest couch, where she perched at and awaited for the goddess to finish clothing her body.

Their day sure had an extraordinary way of beginning.

Moments later, the two of them were eating the food Evelynn had bought for them. Most of their morning mealtime was spent with Evelynn telling Akali all about her little trip. It was all mostly trivial, but the artist welcomed it and contributed to the talk as much as she could.

As long as they didn't talk about the embarrassing bathroom incident, then that's fine by Akali.

By the time they were done with their breakfast, Akali soon took a quick, warm shower and finally prepared herself for their departure from the love hotel.

As much as she wanted to say something about what happened, she couldn't bring herself to discuss the matter. The more time ticked past them, the more Akali realized what she's about to face once they leave the building and head to her childhood home.

The two of them were already in front of the door of the unit and Evelynn was just about to pull the panel open when Akali suddenly reached out to grasp the other's arm with her free hand.

"Do you want to go sightseeing?"

The question was absolutely unpredicted, so the surprise that crossed Evelynn's face for a brief second was understandable. Yet, as it sunk in, the reason behind the offer was unveiled in the siren's mind.

"Sightseeing?"

"Yeah. I know we came back to Ionia for a reason, but where's the harm in sightseeing for a few hours?" The enthusiasm Akali tried presenting was too obvious for the woman she was trying to convince. She might've forgotten that out of everyone in the world, Evelynn was the only one to knew her through and through.

Releasing her hold on the strap of her backpack, Evelynn fully turned to face Akali. Her hands gently placed themselves on her creator's shoulders, the look of understanding in her eyes shifting and showing the fact that she knew why Akali offered such invitation so hastily.

"You're nervous."

"...I'm terrified." Akali didn't bother denying. The honest reply she gave just tumbled out of her lips before she could even comprehend. "I haven't seen them for _three years_, and me coming back to check on _Tou-san_ just gives _Kaa-san_ and _Nee-san_ the chance to remind me of how much I've become a disappointment."

"You're not a disappointment." Evelynn said, frowning at the term Akali had chosen to describe herself. "How can you be if all you've been doing is nothing but actions worthy in being proud of?"

"That's what _you_ think. But you know, don't you? You _know_ what I did to Faey. What my actions cost her."

"I do. And I know it wasn't intentional." Evelynn lifted Akali's gaze when she tried lowering it, looking into her guilty blues as she reassured her. "It's hard to believe what I say to you about it because of the fact that I'm your creation, and at the back of your mind, you feel like I'm just being bias, right?"

Mutely, Akali nodded.

"I would never lie to you about something as important as this." Evelynn leaned in and gave Akali a small kiss on the forehead. "I'm here and I won't let you face the inevitable by yourself."

Though there was no guarantee that Evelynn's words would keep her on her feet once she meets with her family once again, Akali still felt immensely relieved. She wasn't going back alone. When she returns home, she was certain enough to know that Evelynn will hold her hand through it. Figuratively, or maybe even literally.

In a swift motion, Akali stepped in and wrapped her arms around Evelynn, embracing the woman that was immediately stunned by her sudden but affectionate gesture. She buried most of the lower half of her face in Evelynn's shoulder, her words somewhat muffled as she spoke.

"I'm so glad I wasn't too late."

Evelynn's lips curved into a gentle smile. The feeling was mutual, and she was just happy that Akali accepted her in the end. She returned the hug, her smile widening a little as she inhaled the familiar scent of her creator.

"I'll always be here, Akali. That's a promise."

The mild shift against her shoulder told her Akali had smiled upon her words.

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

Standing before the relatively big house Akali should be happy to return to, she looked completely composed externally while the panic within her was threatening to burst out. Really, she did want to feel at home now that she came back for a visit, but the more she stared at the black gate in front of her, her nerves became more tense than they already were.

"Deep breaths, darling. Deep breaths."

The soft and soothing voice that belonged to none other than Evelynn immediately eased Akali to a manageable state. She turned and smiled gratefully at the goddess.

"You probably think I'm overthinking all this." Akali said with a somewhat embarrassed look. "With them being my family and all, but here I am acting like I'm going to get my head chewed off once I ring the doorbell."

"Akali, darling," Evelynn gave her arm a small squeeze. "I know what you've always felt about your family and how they've felt for you. Especially when you chose to pursue your dream as a professional animator."

"Then you know what's waiting for us? For me?"

"Just remember that no matter what they say," Evelynn wore a sincere look as she moved her hand up and gently stroked Akali's cheek. "it's not worth beating yourself up for."

Akali smiled, greatly appreciating the comforting words of the siren. "I'll keep that in mind."

Finally heeding Evelynn's initial advice, Akali took a deep breath to calm herself before she reached forward with her old copy of their gate's key and ultimately unlocked it. They both made their way into the house and once they stepped through the front door, Akali called out to her family.

_(**Bold words** mean the character is speaking in their native language)_

**"I'm home!"**

Even though it was the place where she grew up in, Akali felt so out of place in the house. Instead of feeling all nice and fuzzy in being back, she was being bothered with this urge to just leave immediately before any of her family members could actually acknowledge her arrival.

Akali, whose eyes had drifted off to the side, snapped to the open entryway leading to the living room, where her adoptive sister emerged from. The latter's appearance seemed to take them both by mild surprise.

The first thing Evelynn herself noticed were the differences between Akali and her sibling when it came to the appearance department. Akali's sister, Faey, possessed pitch black hair and stronger facial features that made her look evidently mature and rather serious. The ocean blue eyes she was born with carried a much fiercer aura, which somewhat contrasted with Akali's soft azure irises.

Akali stilled for a moment upon seeing Faey, who ended up silencing herself for a brief moment at the sight of the unfamiliar company. Despite not being acquainted, she eyed Evelynn with mild interest and curiosity before shortly bowing and greeting them.

"_Ohayou._" Faey started once Akali bowed back and Evelynn had nodded in return, her accent hinting through her speech as she continued. **"I see my sister brought company."**

Evelynn glanced at Akali, who seemed to have turned into a mute at the moment, before deciding to speak for themselves. "I'm Evelynn. I'd like to say first that I'm sorry for intruding into this family matter of yours. I know Akali's been away from home for a long while, so I insisted to come with her when she told me about what happened."

"Where are my manners? Ahem. I'm Faey, Akali's... sister." Faey introduced herself. "Though I'm sure you probably already know that."

"I do."

"And please, you're not intruding at all. For Akali to bring you back home with her, you must be a close friend of hers?"

"I suppose you could say that." Evelynn said with a polite smile, glancing to check on Akali once again, whose internal conflict was showing in her own blue eyes. "Akali has been quite a good friend to me, so I try my best to return the favor."

"Guess that's one thing _Kaa-san_ would probably be proud of." Faey said, directing her gaze to Akali. **"If you want to talk to father, you'll have to wait. He just took his medicine, so he won't be awake till later."**

Akali nodded, form rigid underneath the clothes she wore as she said, "Evelynn and I will be at my room, then. To unpack and talk and all."

Faey nodded and bowed at them again before she made a motion in leaving. As Akali gestured for Evelynn to climb up the stairs, the older Tethi suddenly halted her departure and loosely grasped Akali by the arm.

In a murmur, she said, **"Once your friend is settled, come down at the living room. I think a talk between the two of us is long overdue."**

Instead of cowering and folding up like paper, Akali simply nodded and met Faey's gaze for a solid moment before she followed after Evelynn, who had already made her way upstairs and was waiting for her at the door of her old bedroom.

Akali had literally flashed what she was sure was a convincing reassuring smile as she opened the door to her room with her old key. The two of them didn't say anything until they were both inside the artist's childhood quarters, which was when Evelynn finally spoke up about what she just witnessed.

"Here I was thinking that maybe your sister wouldn't be so harsh on you." Evelynn said as she sat down on the sheet-less mattress of the bed.

Akali sighed and shook her head, dropping her things on the floor before she situated herself beside Evelynn. "I'm not really surprised."

"Even if she's still holding it against you, that doesn't mean you deserve being treated so crudely."

"Evelynn." Akali uttered her name with mild exasperation, head turning to face her with a convicted look. "I moved away from home and took my dream job while Faey was back here doing physical therapy and coming to terms with the fact that she couldn't..."

Akali gave another sigh as she slumped, frowning. Beside her, Evelynn reached towards her and gently grasped her right hand, squeezing lightly. The gesture was enough for Akali to raise her head a little and return her gaze to the siren.

"Driving yourself to a corner with all this guilt-talk is going to do nothing but make yourself depressed." Evelynn said, lips curling in a small frown of her own. "And even if you move on from it, that doesn't mean you don't care about what happened."

Akali stayed quiet for a long moment before she took in a breath, standing up and slipping her hand away from Evelynn. She turned to address her first before she took her leave though. Using her hands to cup Evelynn's cheeks, she tried to put on her best easing look as she spoke.

"I'll just talk to _Nee-san_, alright? Why don't you unpack some of your stuff while I'm downstairs, 'kay? Sheets are probably in the closet. I'll come back up once we're done."

Although Evelynn saw right through the comforting expression, she chose not to say anything else. Clearly, Akali wanted to handle this particular matter on her own. Who was Evelynn to intervene?

"Okay." Evelynn murmured, giving the top of one of Akali's hands a soothing caress before she could pull back. "Call if you need me."

"I will."

Akali left her room and her companion, anxiously heading back downstairs and into the living room, where she found her sister seated on one of the couches while she was busying herself with flower arrangements on the small vase decorating the coffee table. Not even a word had made it out of her lips when Faey took initiative and started their talk with a little fact of herself.

**"This whole flower thing isn't really something I thought I'd do good in, but I guess people like me have all the time in the world to learn." **As soon as Faey said this, she nodded her head towards her right leg, prompting Akali to focus her gaze for a moment to the cloth-covered stump. It looks like her sister had relieved herself of the prosthetic leg she was using earlier. **"I can't exactly continue police training."**

Akali swallowed quietly, avoiding her sister's gaze as she proceeded into the room. **"Do you still use a cane?"**

Faey hummed half-heartedly. **"I do."**

**"Did you get it?"**

**"The cane you sent?"**

Akali nodded.

**"I did. But, Kaa-san thought it was too heavy, so she bought me a foldable one."**

**"Ah, I see..." **If Akali had ears like a puppy, it would probably be flopped down. Silently, she sat down on the armchair beside the sofa where Faey was settled. **"How have you been, Nee-san?"**

**"As fine as I can be."** Faey said, shrugging as she kept her gaze fixated on the arrangement she was doing. **"I've taken up archery a few months ago. Kaa-san was supportive of it."**

**"Ah, that's good."**

**"What about you? Doing well in the city?"**

Though their conversation flowed somewhat well, Akali still couldn't shake off the feeling that something was going to happen. She felt like once she lets her guard down, the whole interaction between her and her adoptive sister would immediately turn sour. 

She nodded again. **"Yeah. Rented an apartment, made some friends, got promoted in my job, everything's... going great."**

Faey gave a light laugh. **"At least one of us is fulfilling their dreams."**

And _that's _what Akali was waiting for.

Suppressing a sigh, Akali glanced around in search for another family member she was dreading to see. She knew the certain parent was probably somewhere in the house. When she failed to spot their mother, she refocused her gaze back to Faey.

It was now or never.

**"...You still haven't forgiven me, have you?"**

A scoff. **"Do you really think it's that easy?"**

**"I know it isn't."**

**"It's nice to see you know your mistake."**

Akali clenched her hands into fists, preventing herself from being provoked. **"I didn't ask you to get me from that party."**

**"But you knew mother would ask me to once she found out you weren't in your room."**

**"I... I wasn't the one driving."**

Her eyes flickered upward, seeing Faey crush a poor flower in her palm. **"If you hadn't left in the first place, then I'd still have my leg right now, wouldn't I?"**

**"I wasn't the one driving!" **Akali repeated, standing up and looking at her sibling in disbelief. **"You were lecturing me, and fine! I did shout at you. Distracted you. But it wasn't my fault that you crashed the car!"**

**"If you just stayed...!"** Faey nearly yelled back, frustration evident in her gaze. She lifted her head and fixed her stare at her younger sibling.** "If you hadn't went to that stupid party, then I'd still have my leg."**

**"I **_**know**_** it was my fault! I know that because of me, you can't become an officer anymore!" **Akali snapped, tears of her guilt and frustration welling in her eyes. **"Do you think I wanted that to happen? What more do you want me to say? To do?"**

Faey had just opened her mouth when Akali cut her off and continued to voice out the words she had withheld for so long.

**"Do you want me to cut off my own leg? Or maybe you want me to get one of my hands cut off so I can't draw anymore? Is ****_that _****you want?"** Akali took in a breath, lips pursing briefly and fists further clenching. **"At first I wanted to be an officer like father and mother, but mother kept saying that you're the ****_perfect _****example of what I should be."**

**"Do you really think doing all that you just said would bring me back my leg?" **Faey began, her eyes darkening with contempt. **"Now that we're ****_finally_**** talking about what happened, what do you do? Offer your own hand? What, an eye for an eye, is it?"**

**"What do you want me to do, Faey!?"** Akali gritted out, feeling her eyes sting as she tried her hardest to hold back her tears from falling. **"I...-!"**

**"I want you to realize what you really did wrong and just stop making up excuses just like you always do!"** Faey shouted back, pushing herself up until she was standing, cane unfolded and now in hand. **"For once in your life, Akali, when are you going to take responsibility for everything?"**

**"Faey...-"**

**"Did you really think flying off to a different city would solve all of this? Would make ** ** _all _ ** **your problems go away? What, just because you were gone? You ** ** _ran away_ ** **, Akali! Instead of staying here and I don't know, help me recover or something, no! You just packed your bags as soon as you got the job you wanted."**

**"Shut up!"**

**"And now you tell me to shut up?" **Faey shook her head. **"What a sister you are."**

Faey stood there, steadily gripping the handle of her foldable cane as she watched Akali turn away and make a hasty retreat. But, as she heard the front door slam and realization of the fact that she was the one responsible for the sudden walk-out dawned to her, she pursed her lips and sighed.

Sitting back down, Faey found her gaze wandering to the side of the room, where she could see the cane Akali had sent a few years ago leaning on the wall and just beside the bookshelf.

**"Even now, she's still irresponsible."**

Faey directed her gaze to the doorway, where she found their mother, Mayym, standing there with a disappointed expression on her face. Normally, she would agree with the older woman's words, but she found herself thinking about the image of Akali's teary-eyed face. It was incomprehensible for her why she'd think of such now. Then again, there _was_ this guilty feeling dwelling in the pit of her stomach.

"So are you."

In a blink of an eye, Faey and Mayym's attention was diverted towards the same entryway that led to the front door and staircase. While Faey was surprised with what was uttered, Mayym raised an eyebrow and sharply eyed the amber-eyed woman she had yet to be acquainted with.

"And who are you?" Mayym queried crisply, somewhat taken aback by the three-word accusation. The annoyance was more evident in her tone due to her accent as she spoke to address the so called stranger.

"Someone who knows your daughter more than you do." Evelynn then put on a feigned contemplative look before she said, "Oh, and just in case you don't know, I'm talking about Akali."

Mayym had a vexed gleam in her eyes as she stared back at Evelynn. "I know who my daughters are, woman."

"Ah, yes, of course you do." Evelynn agreed with a sweet smile. "I'm just reminding you that you have _children_. One is your favorite, and of course, the one you've always neglected."

As much as Evelynn wanted to further challenge, and maybe provoke, Akali's mother, she knew this house was the last place she should be at. With a brief yet rather mocking bow, Evelynn excused herself from the two and left the household.

Though she might not be entirely certain where Akali had ran off to, she had a few places in mind.

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

_One Hour Later..._

A loud, exasperated sigh left Evelynn's lips as she ran her hands through her hair in mild frustration. It's been a whole hour and she has yet to catch any hints of where Akali went. She felt so irritated with herself, thinking she probably caught up with Akali if she just chased after her the second she walked out of the house.

But no, there's this particular part of herself that told her she needed to give Akali's mother a piece of her mind, especially when she heard the woman label Akali irresponsible.

"Akali, Akali, Akali... Where are you?" Evelynn murmured under her breath, eyes darting right and left as she came to a stop. She's been running around almost like a headless chicken in search of Akali in the area, and though it would be a safe bet to just wait for her creator at home, she refused to do such and chose to continue with her search.

Evelynn had literally taken only three steps when her eyes wandered to the grassy slope on the other side of the railing of the sidewalk. Something clicked in her mind when she found the sight familiar, especially the particular space at the bottom of the slope, which led to the secluded space underneath the bridge.

This was where Akali always sprayed her graffiti during the last year of her college.

Thankful that she was wearing pants and sneakers instead of her usual skirt and heels, Evelynn went over the railing and carefully made her way down the slope. Once she reached the bottom, she made her way to the bottom of the bridge, where she was able to finally find Akali.

The said artist was seated on the ground, back slumped against one of the bridge's concrete foundations. She was absently fiddling with her fingers, gaze unheeding.

Evelynn approached, halting only when she was standing right beside Akali, her entire self casting a shadow over her despondent creator, who finally noticed her and raised her head to focus her attention on her. Her eyes were red all around, somewhat puffy and showing clear evidence that she had cried and most likely just stopped a couple of minutes ago.

The drying mess on her sleeves were enough to tell Evelynn that Akali spent a fair deal of time crying under the bridge.

"I had to get out of the house." Akali murmured, coughing quietly when she realized her voice was coming out hoarse. "Sorry I left you there."

"That's not exactly what bothered me." Evelynn said before she situated herself beside Akali. "I thought I told you to call me if you needed me."

Akali gave a small, scoff-like laugh. "You know why I didn't. Faey's my sister and what we spoke about... It's between me and her. I didn't want to pull you into the fight."

Evelynn wanted to give out another reason, but she knew Akali had a point. She nodded, letting a moment of silence pass between them. She was trying to think of a different topic. A topic that would hopefully brighten the dark and empty atmosphere around them.

"It was a party some of my friends threw." Akali abruptly started, and it took Evelynn a second for her to realize what the former was referring to. "_Kaa-san _told me I couldn't go. But since it was the biggest party my friends have ever held, I snuck out of the house."

Evelynn could see that Akali didn't like telling this particular part of her life and even though she already knew about this, the siren decided to let her creator continue. It might serve as some sort of closure for her.

"_Kaa-san_ found out though. She sent Faey to pick me up and bring me back home." Akali's lips then curled downward. "She was just telling me about how I shouldn't have done it and that I shouldn't go against _Kaa-san_."

"Darling..."

"I didn't mean to get us into an accident." Akali said, her voice cracking. "I can still remember how I was shouting at her. She told me to be quiet and that we were going to talk about it at home, but I was... I was acting like a brat. I kept on shouting and it distracted her. Took her focus from the road."

"Akali, you...-"

"If I had just shut my mouth that night, then we wouldn't have gotten into an accident. She would've noticed the red light." Akali once again clenched her fists, teeth gritting. "She would've noticed the truck and maybe even swerved away."

"Akali." 

Evelynn placed a hand over her fists, which were both pressed against one another as she kept them firmly shut. She could feel Akali's hands tremble under her palm and it broke her heart to see tears run down the other's face yet again.

"How do you expect your own sister to forgive you if you can't even forgive yourself?"

"How?" Akali responded back, evidently feeling defeated as she tried thinking of a solution. "How can I just tell myself that it's not my fault? Faey has a point, Evelynn. If only I listened to _Okaa-san_, then Faey would probably be a police officer now just like our parents."

Akali further slumped and leaned against Evelynn, head resting on the siren's shoulder as she sighed deeply and allowed her gaze to aimlessly stare once again.

"She would've made our parents proud."

"Akali, listen to me." Evelynn started, taking hold of one of Akali's hands and giving it a light shake. "We both know you can't run any further than you already have. We've talked about this, haven't we? I know it's an absolute pain to deal with this issue, but turning your back on it will only make you regret it later in your life."

"I'd fix everything if I could, Evelynn. I'd go back home and take responsibility, but I don't know how."

Another moment of silenced passed and Evelynn didn't fail in noticing how Akali squeezed her hand back, thumb lightly brushing against her skin. Sighing, Evelynn broke the silence with a solution she deemed acceptable for Akali's situation.

"Let me help you, then. Even if it's just a little bit of help, let me do what I can."

"Evelynn, this is between me and Faey."

"I know. But," Evelynn tilted her head left and right as she recalled her most recent talk with her creator's mother. "I also know there's _someone else_ who'd intervene, and not in a good way."

Akali stayed quiet for a couple of seconds before she lifted her head from Evelynn's shoulder and turned to look at her. "You met _Kaa-san_, didn't you?"

"I did, and she was very... _accommodating_."

"She gave you hell, didn't she?"

"It's the other way around."

Akali stared back at Evelynn with disbelief, not knowing if she was going to smile or be horrified. She eventually decided with a reaction similar to the former. She shook her head and said, "'Course you wouldn't back down. Even against her."

"But I know you would have if you were in my place earlier, so please." Evelynn gave Akali's hand another shake. "You and Faey should try and talk this issue out again. No walk-outs, no shouting, just patience and hopefully understanding on both sides."

"_Kaa-san_ will...-"

"Let me handle your mother, alright? Let me do my part in this."

Thinking about how Evelynn, who's like a total stranger to her family, would handle her mother was certainly a comedic and at the same time terrifying sight to see. Akali wasn't sure if she herself wanted to witness it.

"I don't really know what you could say to my mother to stop her from intervening, but..." Akali finally cracked a smile. It was small, but it was more than enough for Evelynn. "...I trust you."

Evelynn offered her own little smile, her free hand reaching forth to tuck some of Akali's hair behind her ear. "Truth be told, darling, even if you hadn't said yes with me helping, I would have done so either way."

Instead of taking that little confession negatively, it was able to inspire a soft and quiet laugh from Akali, who raised one of her sleeves again and wiped away any possible remnants of tears on her face.

"I think I know why, but I still want to ask... Why are you doing all of this for me? I haven't exactly been the most welcoming creator. I didn't treat you any better than _Kaa-san_ treated me until recently."

A smile shaped Evelynn's lips and Akali's curiosity for the answer was further piqued.

"Do I really have to say it?"

Akali could feel the butterflies in her stomach and she had to resist the urge to purse her lips in anticipation. She did scoot closer though. Close enough for both of their shoulders to touch at least. When they both turned to one another, their faces were inches away from each other.

"...No, I guess you don't need to." Akali forfeited, her words leaving her lips before she cold even make sense of them. "For the first time between you and me, I think I actually know what you're thinking about."

Evelynn considered in urging Akali to further continue with what she was saying, but she was too distracted with the blatant sight of Akali's gaze single-mindedly eyeing her lips. 

"Thank you for being here with me, Evelynn. I... I wouldn't have known what I could've done now if you weren't...-"

Silence.

Both of their hearts suddenly racing and thumping in an inexplicable pace, nothing seemed to matter for the two women as their lips melted against one another. The feeling of Evelynn's warm and full lips against Akali's own cool and delicate ones was absolutely extraordinary.

Evelynn gently moved over Akali's lips, taking her in a mind-enthralling dance she was so willing to learn more about. For a moment, Akali wondered how it was so different from the kisses she had experienced in the past. It was _indescribable_.

And as if that wasn't enough, Akali felt like her heart would have jumped out of her chest once she heard the softly-uttered words that followed through.

"I love you, Akali."

**xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: *deep breath* Too cliché? I know, I know, but it is what it is! This is how I envisioned it and welp, sorry if it didn't meet your expectations. I'm going back to the time when I used to write for fun, and I was having a whole lot of fun writing this chapter! Hopefully, you readers enjoyed reading this as much as I did in writing it. ^u^
> 
> Special thanks to my duo buddy, who gave me some big help in finishing this chapter, especially since I got so stuck with so many scenes here. Thanks, dude! :D (I know I've thanked you tons of times whenever we're playing League, but yeah, I'm still thanking you here xD)
> 
> I'm not sure how I'll be handling the next chapter, but I think this story has only a few more chapters left to be considered finish. Maybe two to three chapters? One or two for the whole solving the family issue thing and a last chapter that features Evelynn and Akali returning to their life in the city and all. The other chapter is probably for the steamy Epilogue.
> 
> The whole story is about to come to an end since Akali and Evelynn are finally getting together. :3
> 
> In case there are any more loose ends that I might have missed other than this issue with Akali's family, please don't hesitate in telling me! ^^
> 
> If it's about the other pairings though and their backstories, I'll just say it now, those are just candidates for possible spin-offs. But! No guarantees, alright? :3
> 
> Anyway, till my next update! ^u^

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: Well, here's my second Akali x Evelynn multi-chapter story for all you Akalynn shippers! Hope you guys will like this as much as you liked "We Found Love"! And if any of you are wondering, yes, I've been too caught up with the hype for this particular pairing. It's a bit obvious, ain't it? :P
> 
> Of course special thanks to @RachAsakawa for letting me use one of hers and her wife's, @RizzyCos, Akalynn cosplays as this story's cover. ^u^ (For those who want to see the image of the cover, just check out this story in Wattpad or look for the pic of Akali settled between Evelynn's legs from the two mentioned Twitter accounts) 
> 
> Oh, and big thanks to @savageking1079 (from Tumblr) for giving me a title for this story! Didn't think about it until you brought it up, my friend! :D
> 
> I plan on focusing on my other stories for now, mainly the ones I've left unfinished, but I figured I could release this as a teaser for my readers. I'll update this as often as I can, but it won't be as prioritized as WFL was.
> 
> Right now, my main priority is to finish the last chapter of "Skin" (Vi x Caitlyn) and along with that is "Bound to You" (Katarina x Ashe). These two stories can be found in FF or Wattpad, where my other stories can be found as well. :3
> 
> Anyway, if any of you have any ideas with these stories or others and want to share them with me, feel free to hit me up in either Twitter, FF, Wattpad or Tumblr! Like I always say, I'll credit you if ever your idea is used in the story! ^o^/
> 
> By the way, this story's tag and first chapter may or may not be edited a bit once the second one is uploaded in the future. :)


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